For Better or Worse III: The D Word
by Emelie Martel
Summary: Life takes a sharp turn for our couple after a horrific accident that takes an innocent life. Stephanie struggles to cope and heal when a betrayal sends her reeling again. R/S HEA


Title: **For Better or Worse III: The D Word**  
Category: Books » Janet Evanovich  
Author: Emelie Martel  
Language: English, Rating: Rated: K+  
Genre: Romance/Mystery  
Published: 08-31-12, Updated: 09-16-12  
Chapters: 16, Words: 97,681

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**Chapter 1: Chapter 1**

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CH – 1 – Dinner

The day had begun with a bang and never stopped. It turned into a very long and forgettable day for everyone involved.

As two of the five owners of Rangemen LLC, a security company with its main office located in Trenton New Jersey, we were awakened at 3AM with a call from the control room. There was a breach at a new client's apartment complex. It took most of the day to sort it all out. Luckily, I'd kept meticulous records when we first wrote the account, proving that although highly recommend, in order to save a few bucks, the clients had refused the extra security for that spot. It was the entrance by the back deck adjacent to the swimming pool area that had been broken into and caused the problems that day.

We made arrangements with Hector and Cal, our installation guys, to add relays to more of the windows and a spotlight above the entry before the end of the day. I again suggested a camera over the sliding glass doors. That time the clients agreed immediately without question. The money they'd saved initially and then some, would be spent on damage control. Their fault, not ours.

That night, Wednesday night, we were expected at my mother's for dinner at six sharp as usual. Ranger's Mom and Dad were also going to be there. It was Grandma Mazur's birthday.

My Mom had called Ranger's Mom, her new best friend, earlier that day and asked that they move the venue to Newark since she'd cut her hand while sharpening a knife and wouldn't be able to prepare a proper dinner. Proper by her Burg standards, that is. It wasn't a particularly bad cut, just at the wrong spot and throbbed slightly. Enough to make her uncomfortable. She could have postponed our get together but didn't want to disappoint Grandma and her new beau, Walter Gummer. His true name, not his hobby. Mama was thrilled to help out.

We'd had a delightful dinner with Ranger's parents and my family in Newark where we announced that we were finally pregnant. We were headed home when it happened. I still shiver at the memory of the events as they unfolded before my unbelieving eyes. Life can change in an instant and it had that day, and not for the better. Everything snowballed uncontrollably from that point on. Would I ever recover? Only time would help heal our wounds, Abuela would later tell me.

It was nearly five o'clock by the time we headed upstairs to shower and change on that fateful day. Ranger opened the apartment door then grabbed my hand leading me toward the bedroom.

"Ranger, we don't have time …"

"Yes we do."

He dragged me into the bathroom, dug out the paper bag he'd hidden in the back in the corner of the linen cabinet under a towel and handed it to me.

"Take the test."

"Ranger? What are you talking about?"

"Stephanie. Take the test."

"What test?"

"The pregnancy test."

"What? I'm not pregnant."

Denial Land? I'm back.

"Yes you are. Or at least you may be. You've been cranky and irritable for weeks and if you think you've been hiding the fact that you're puking every morning, think again."

Truth be told? I had wondered.

At first I thought I was coming down with the flu because of the vomiting but it seemed to have ease-up. Then I blamed it on _that time of month_ but it never came. No big deal. I'd been late many times in the past. I wasn't as diligent as I should have been taking my pills everyday so it always messed up my cycle. And the monthly shots didn't agree with me for some reason. Ranger was better with using a condom but he too would forgo logic in lieu of a good spur of the moment coupling. Between the both of us, I felt secure. Well, pretty secure. So why did we have a never ending supply of pregnancy tests in our bathroom?

"We really don't have time for that right time now. I'll take it when we get home. I promise." I said while whining at the thought.

"Now." He crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his heavily booted foot then said again, "Now Stephanie."

"Ranger. Come on."

"Am I going to have to shoot you?"

"You wouldn't dare." I said with a cocky tone until I watched him reach behind his back and pull out his Sig.

"Now." He released the safety.

"You wouldn't really shoot me, would you?" I was uncertain at that moment.

"You've got ten seconds or I'm going to do it for you."

"How're you…"

"Ten."

"…going to …"

"Nine."

"…do that?"

"Do you really want to know?" He said as he raised one eyebrow.

"Seven."

"Hey. You …"

"Six."

"skipped eight."

"Five."

"Ranger."

"Four."

"Okay. Okay."

"Three."

"You win."

"Two."

"Stop counting dammit."

"One."

With two strides he was in front of me, his gun back home in the small of his back.

"I gave you plenty of warning."

"I got it." I'd dropped my drawers to take my test. "Bastard." I mumbled as he stood over me, arms folded again like Mr. Clean. "Can I please pee in peace?"

"Nope. Not this time."

"What? You don't trust me?"

"Not for this." He took the plastic device from my hand and placed in on the edge of the sink with a smile. "Let's take a shower and get going."

After a quick shower, Ranger picked up the wand and stared at it.

"Ranger? What does it say?"

He turned and looked at me with his usual blank face then tossed it in the trash.

"Well?" I asked as he started to walk away then turned back to face me.

An unusually large smile was plastered on his face. The smile only I was ever privy to.

"We're pregnant Stephanie. We're really pregnant this time." He lifted me up into the air and swung me around and around then set me down. "We're really, really pregnant Babe. We did it. We're going to have a baby."

"Let me see that." I took the stick from the golden trash bucket on the floor beside the toilet. "I'm pregnant?" I whispered. _Shit_.

"Finally. I didn't think it would ever happen."

Ranger said as he ran his hairbrush through his wet hair.

"Are you really happy?"

Tears were flowing down my cheeks. Were they happy tears or scared shitless tears?

"Yes Babe. I'm very happy. I wish we had time to celebrate but we've got to go. I don't want to face our mothers' wrath if we're late again." He was so excited he couldn't stop talking. "Are we going to tell our parents tonight? Of course we are. Why not? They should know. I mean, they're going to be grandparents."

He went into the bedroom and opened the closet door then shrugged on a pair of jeans.

"Ranger, maybe we should wait." I said as I hooked my bra then tugged at my panties.

"No. We're not going to wait." He was buttoning his shirt when he walked past me to sit on the edge of the bed to put on his shoes.

I touched his arm and sat beside him.

"Ranger, what if happens again? Maybe we should wait?"

Over the past few years since we married, we'd been surprised a few times thinking we might be pregnant only to find out it was just me messing up my pills again or that I'd probably had a miscarriage before it could be confirmed. We'd made the mistake of telling our families before we knew for sure. That's when I tried the shots and became violently ill from it so I had to stop.

He touched my face lovingly. "Babe. It's going to be fine. Trust me. In a few months, we're going to be parents." He touched my flat belly. "I can't wait to tell Julie she's going to have a brother or sister."

We sat quietly holding hands in the Turbo as we headed for the Manoso family home.

He was kissing my hand when he said. "I love you Stephanie. You've made me very happy tonight. Thank you."

"Hey, you did all the work. I just laid there."

I turned my head to look at him as I'd been staring out of the window. Mileage marker signs had become a steady line of small green squares as we sped along the highway.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me."

"Ranger. I think you're getting silly."

"I'm going to be a dad." He shouted as he smacked his palm on the wooden steering wheel. "I'm going to be a dad." He kissed my hand again then smiled as he took a quick glance at me. "I'm going to be a good dad Steph, you'll see. I won't be just a check and a birthday gift to our child like I was for Julie. They'll be ballgames and karate classes and…"

"What if it's a boy?" I teased

"What? Oh yeah. Cute Steph. And tea parties like my sisters used to have and dolls. Lots and lots of dolls, if it's a girl."

"Isn't that kind of chauvinistic?"

"Okay. Tea parties for a boy and guns for a girl."

I smacked his arm with my free hand as the Turbo engine stilled in front of his parent's house. My dad's gold Buick was parked in the driveway.

"Ranger. I really think we should keep this to ourselves for a few days. At least until we see Dr. Leavitt and she tells us that the rabbit died. I'll make an appointment in the morning for as soon as possible. I promise."

"Steph I really …"

"Please. Just a few days. We've waited this long. What's a few more days?"

"Okay. Okay. You win."

"Thank you."

Mama opened the heavy wooden door that led into the front foyer and greeted us with a hug and a glass of wine as always. Ranger barged right into the living room to the left where everyone was enjoying a cocktail before dinner.

"Hey, everyone. Steph's pregnant."

I poked him in the ribs.

"You promised, you jerk. So much for waiting." I said as we were both tugged in all directions. Mama yanked the glass of wine from my grasp.

"Well ain't that a pip." Grandma Mazur said. "My baby grand daughter is going to have a baby of her own. And on my birthday."

I didn't bother doing the math for Grandma. She'd figure it out on her own.

"Oh, I wish Valerie was here. I'm going to call her. Maybe she can get away and be here in time for dessert." Mom headed for her purse to get her cell phone.

"Congratulations Punkin. Ranger. Remember I already put in my order for a grandson. You two have a girl, you put her back and let her cook a little longer until she's a boy or else you'll have to try again."

He hugged me leaving a gentle kiss on my cheek then shook Ranger's hand again. Mom hugged me too. A rarity for her. Mama had gone into the kitchen and returned with apple juice in a champagne glass.

"How are you feeling, dear?" She asked after everyone toasted the announcement of our future new family member.

"Good so far. It's early."

"Have you told _Abuela_?" Papi asked then took a sip from his glass as ice clinked.

"No Papi. We just found out before we left the apartment. I'll call her after dinner."

"Call her now Carlos. You have a few moments before we are ready to eat." Mama said as she tapped him on the cheek. "I'm happy for you both. Boy or girl, it will be loved."

Ranger was just flipping his phone shut when Mama called us to the table.

"Would you phone _Abuela_ tomorrow, Steph? She wants to congratulate you herself. I told her we were about to sit down to dinner. She said she was on her way out anyway. Mrs. Winters was waiting to take her to Bingo at the community center."

"Sure."

The rest of the evening was filled with ideas and suggestion for what everyone wanted for us. Mom and Ranger's mom were already planning a baby shower.

"It's time you think about moving out of that apartment, Stephanie. That apartment is no place to bring up children. You should have a home in a neighbor. A nice neighborhood where there are good schools." She passed the large red bowl of yellow rice to Papi. "Mrs. Venuti on Salmon Street, just two streets from us isn't very well. I hear she's going into a nursing home soon." Dad tugged on Grandma's arm to pass the butter. "Poor old soul doesn't have any family to take care of her. Her house should be on the market within a few weeks. If you go talk to her now, even tomorrow, maybe you can get your foot in the door." Mama took the basket of fresh rolls from me. "She likes you. She'll sell it to you for a good price. I'll call her and set up an appointment for you."

"Mom, we haven't talked about …"

Ranger shook his head and smirked as he pulled the silver fork from his mouth then chewed on a large chunk of shredded pork with tomato.

"_Senor Manoso_, more sauce?" Grandma handed Papi the gravy boat.

"Well if you don't like Mrs. Venetia's house, there is always Mr. Lamson's house. He broke his hip when he fell at church. Do you remember that mother?"

"Yup, sure do. He was drunk as a skunk."

"Mother!"

"Well he was, Helen."

"Carlos dear, there are many beautiful homes here in Newark too. You would be nearer to your sisters. They could help Stephanie with the baby."

"Maybe somewhere in between." Grandma added. Ever the intermediary. "You could live somewhere in between and please everyone."

Mama brought out the dessert. A double layer chocolate cake with whipped chocolate cream icing topped with lots of fresh strawberries. I fed the strawberries to Ranger then dug into the cake.

"Frank. I am handy with a saw and a piece of wood. We could get together and make a cradle for this new grandchild that we will share. I think oak would be nice, don't you?"

My head was beginning to spin.

"Everyone please. I'm sure Stephanie will be just fine and we have no intentions of moving at the moment. We're perfectly happy where we are. Right Babe? Babe?"

"Ranger. I don't feel well. I'd like to go home."

"Sure Babe." He wiped his mouth with his napkin then set it on the table. "Sorry folks we're going to have to call it a night. Steph's tired and not feeling well."

"Morning sickness does not only happen in the morning." Mama chimed in as she hugged me gently.

"Take your wife home, son. We will talk about the cradle another time, yes?" Papi added.

"Ranger please." I begged.

"Goodnight everyone." I waved as Ranger whisked me out to the car.

The cool night air felt good on my face and revived me somewhat.

"Babe, are you okay?"

"Just a little nauseous. Must be morning sickness. Mama is right."

"Are you sure? You're a little green."

"I'll be fine. Just get me home."

A passing car's headlights shone on my face causing my eyes to blur and sting. I tapped Ranger's arm anxiously so he stopped quickly by the side of the road. I'd barely gotten the door open when I began to vomit. I hoped I wouldn't be doing this for nine months. Our poor kid would be born with a toilet seat for a necklace.

I hadn't realized that I'd fainted until I smelled the ammonia pellet Ranger passed under my nose.

Once I'd recovered, Ranger pulled back into traffic and headed toward the highway again. He was hinting at taking me to the emergency room just as a truck passed us quickly on a double yellow line. It nearly ran us up onto the sidewalk as we approached the intersection. It took a sharp left turn at the red traffic lights ahead of us then sped off. He was out of sight and out of mind in a flash.

_We were coasting to a stop at the next traffic light when Ranger leaned over the center console to kiss me. "Te amo, mi esposa," he said just as I heard a whizzing sound, screeching brakes and tires, ripping metal and tinkling glass. Airbags punched my face and arms squashing me like waffle batter. A hubcap rolled by my door resembling a dinner plate on steroids, then rested on the curb. Sirens wailed. Red, blue and yellow lights flashed as I felt warm liquid drip down my face while my world, as I knew it, came to another abrupt halt. _

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**Chapter 2: Chapter 2**

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CH - 2 – Decisions

When I first met my husband, what now seems like a lifetime ago, he was a confirmed bachelor. He wanted no attachments. No anchor around his neck. No ball and chain attached to his ankles. He felt he had issues that needed his attention.

He'd just opened his third branch of Rangemen, a security firm he'd started in Miami right after he got out of the service. Then he opened a second branch in Boston and the most recent one in Atlanta. A friend of his had recommended that he look at Trenton, New Jersey for his fourth location. New Jersey? Why the hell would anyone in their right mind want to go to New Jersey?

He did his homework. Apparently there was a dire need for the services he could provide.

Halfheartedly, he drove his brand new Porsche Turbo into Trenton to look at property to buy and possibly open another branch there. He had a lot of ex military buddies in the area that would make fine employees. That was just before I crossed his path. A lot can happen in a short amount of time.

Until he could get his business established, he needed a place to live so he took an apartment near Stark Street on the seedier side of the city. The red light district, as it was known. Hookers and drug dealers stood guard over every street corner and back alley. He must have been embarrassed about his place of residence because his driver's license had an address of a local vacant lot where a Chevy dealership had once reigned.

That lasted about a month before he moved into the top floor of the barren abandoned warehouse he'd just purchased on Haywood Street, in the old mill neighborhood abutting the canal. He intended to use the lower floors for his business. He'd always commissioned a luxury penthouse apartment for himself on the top floor of all of the rest of his office buildings for when he would visit that branch and the Trenton building would be no different.

He purchased some basic furnishings: a bed, desk, range and fridge. He had the water re-plumbed and the electricity re-wired then reconnected. A new furnace/air-conditioning unit had also been ordered.

Living alone in a large open vacant former mill building was a hell of a lot better than living in a tiny filthy noisy flat in the bowels of hell on the wrong side of the tracks. Although he'd lived in worse places while in the military stationed in Godforsaken shitholes across the globe. Besides, the rodents were smaller at that end of town.

Shortly after he moved to Trenton, he met a guy named Vinnie Plum, my cousin on my dad's side of the family. He was a little weasel of a chap that reminded me of Steve Buscemi in the movie _Fargo_, with his powder blue polyester suits, strangely printed rayon shirts and K-Mart special pointy toed imitation cowboy boots. Cousin Vinnie owned a bail bonding office in a filthy, dilapidated little run down store front on a side street off Main.

Ricardo Carlos Manoso, aka Ranger, didn't really need the money. He was a retired Army Ranger, hence the nickname, but he'd always enjoyed bounty hunting and was damned good at it. His ethic's gray areas were more defined than most people's white or black lines.

He and Vinnie signed a contract and he agreed to go after Vinnie's larger clients or FTAs. _Failure_ _to_ _Appear_, or skips was the name more commonly used to refer to those lowlifes on the short end of the law when they'd failed to appear in court after having been bonded by the legal system for most offenses. Major cases or violent crimes, like armed robbery, murder or rape, would be his to handle. That's where the big money was. At the time, Vinnie had a woman of questionable morals named Joyce doing the lower end skips but his wife was jealous and wanted her gone.

Joyce was friendly in a trampy sort of way and dressed the part. Her pants appeared to have been painted on and her tops were only the overspray. Heavily lacquered bright red hair encircled her head, the ends sharp enough to slice through brick. She'd been known to sleep with beasts of burden for a price. Who knew they even carried a wallet to hold their cash. Where did they keep it? You'd have to ask her many ex–husbands that question, most of whom you'd have to find or dig up.

Ranger's Trenton facility was soon up and running within a few months and his building was nearly completely remodeled. He'd managed to hire a good core team of former Rangers he'd commanded a few years back. His childhood friend and fellow semi-retired army buddy Tank Thibodeau, was assigned to manage the operations because it was his intent to head back to his home in Miami. The _chicas _in Miami were waiting for him to get back to take care of their physical needs.

I'd just lost my job as a lingerie salesperson at Macy's and was desperate for money. My rent was due and I figured that it was only a matter of days before the repo man showed up to take my Miata. I noticed the 'help wanted' sign taped to the window at Vinnie's and stopped in to talk to my cousin about the job. Luckily for me, he wasn't in his office at the time.

Connie, an old high school friend of mine, worked for Vinnie at the bond office as his office manager. Connie was an attractive enough woman with large breast that she flaunted, long freshly painted red fingernails and dark hair that was held in place with a full can of hairspray, a Jersey tradition. Ranger might have been tempted to ask her out but he was never much for mustaches on his women unless it was his mustache.

After I filled out the job application, Connie called Ranger. She told him that Vinnie had just hired his cousin as a bounty hunter and asked if he'd be willing to train them. Ranger wasn't planning on heading back to Miami for another few weeks so he agreed. He hadn't finished his rounds of the Trenton ladies yet although he'd spent a fair amount of time with a woman named Jeanne Ellen Burrows. She wasn't really his type, and he wasn't hers but well, they scratched each other's itches temporarily. There was no commitment or arrangement on either part. He saw other women and she saw other men. That was always his style until he tangled up with me.

Connie asked Ranger to meet me at the Meadowland Diner on Walnut Street at two that afternoon. Poor sap. He had no idea what he was about to get himself into. Neither did I.

Ranger sat in a booth at the rear of the room with his back to the wall. He was twirling his beer in his hands when I walked in.

I'm fairly tall for a woman at nearly five ten. Despite lousy eating habits, I was quite thin, nice boobs and butt, and long curly dark hair that I'd usually wear pulled back in a messy ponytail. Never one to dress up, I was wearing a white Yankee's t-shirt and soft faded baggy jeans and sandals. Slung over my shoulder was my good luck charm; a huge bright chartreuse colored 'Burg' bag. He later told me that he didn't find me to be particularly beautiful but I was pretty in a plain sort of way. He was intrigued. As he watched me scan the room obviously looking for someone, he noticed my huge cobalt blue eyes. One of my best assets, even if I say so myself. He'd always been a sucker for blue eyes.

Ranger kept one eye open for Vinnie's cousin as he watched me with the other. He wrongly assumed he was waiting for a man. He'd already made a mental note of what he'd like to do my t-shirt and jeans when I started walking toward him. Although he was used to it, most women were drawn to him like a magnet for some reason. He was and still is a strikingly handsome man. As I approached him, he felt a strange tingling feeling. So did I. Our collective gooses were already cooked.

I finger waved to most everyone in the room and flapped my arms as I waved just before a passing waitress nearly dropped her tray.

"Sorry Cathy." I said to the tiny blond with coke bottle eye glasses.

"No prob. Steph. I saw you come in. I was ready for you."

The patrons laughed. They knew me. They always laughed at me. I was a regular klutz. Unbeknownst to Ranger at the time, he had no idea just how klutzy I really was and what he was about to get himself into. Trouble followed me everywhere I went. It should have been my middle name.

As I rounded his table, I pulled a piece of paper from my pants pocket and spoke to him as I read the note. I wasn't positive but from Connie's description, I guessed that the guy staring at me with the smirk on his face was the guy I was looking for.

"Are you Ranger Manoso?" I questioned him. He looked up at me with no expression.

"Who's asking?" He said dryly.

"Duh! I am."

"And you are…?"

I extended my hand to him.

"Hi. I'm Stephanie. Stephanie Plum. I'm Vinnie's cousin. His secretary Connie said that I should meet you here to talk about training me to be a bounty hunter."

I could see the little bubble over his head fill with the words: 'Are you kidding me? Is Vinnie nuts? This skinny, clumsy woman wants to be a bounty hunter?'

"Have a seat." He motioned to the empty bench seat across from him. "Beer?" He asked as he raised the brown bottle in my hands.

"Sure." I said hesitantly as I sat across from him placing my big bag beside me.

"Name your poison."

"What?"

"What would you like to drink?"

"Oh. Sorry. Bud light, please."

He waved to the waitress. As she approached she spoke to me.

"Hey. Steph."

"Hey Marcia. How's Phil?"

"Phil who?" She laughed. "I've been seeing Kenny. Kenny Blandon."

"Really? That's great. Say hi for me."

I knew Marcia, Phil and Kenny from high school. Actually, having grown up in the area, I knew most everyone.

"I will. What'll you have Steph?"

"Bud light please."

"Comin' right up."

The waitress was back in a nano flash and placed the beer on the table. I reached into my bag to pay for the beer. I pulled out debit card receipts, a gum wrapper, a nail file, and envelope that looked official from an insurance company whose name I couldn't remember, a hairbrush, mascara and lip gloss, then my wallet. I rummaged for money then pulled out a one dollar bill. Ranger had intended to pay for the beer but was so fascinated by my efforts that he had to stop and watch me.

I placed the dollar bill on the table then dug out a few coins. When I started piling up pennies, Ranger placed his hand over mine. "Babe. I got this." He said then pulled out his wallet and threw a few bills on the table.

"No." I looked at Marcia. Could I have a coke instead?"

"She'll have the beer." Ranger brushed me off. Marcia looked at me, took the money then left.

"Thanks." I said quite embarrassed. "I'm a little short right now."

"Not a problem. So tell me, why do you want to be a bounty hunter?" He took a long pull of his imported beer then waited for my reply.

"I need the money. I need a job. I have rent to pay and car payments. I have to eat." My baby was probably already hanging from a hook on the back of a tow truck as we spoke.

"Why don't you get a job at the button factory?"

That did it.

"Great. You sound just like my mother."

I was hurt by his comment, although I should have been used to the insult.

"What makes you think you could be bounty hunter? It's a tough job. Not very lady like."

I took a sip from the dark brown bottle for strength then put the bottle down on the table a little harder that I intended.

"Look. I'm just sick of being told what I can and can't do. I can do this. I know I can. I just need training, like any other job. I'm smart and I work hard." I said then added more softly. "And I hate wearing panty hose."

"Best reasons I ever heard of to be a bounty hunter. Hell, I wouldn't want to wear panty hose either." He said then took a swig so I couldn't see that he was laughing at me.

As he listened to me speak nervously tugging at the label of my beer bottle, he began to feel sorry for me yet fascinated by my doggedness. I was a tiny little mouse on the outside yet there was a vicious hungry pit bull on the inside just screaming to be let out. He found me appealing and cute.

"What the hell." He said he'd give it a shot. I had two weeks.

He figured that if nothing else, he'd at least get me into his bed. Think again.

That was just a saying he used because he never really ever brought a woman to his home, to his bed. No one but me, that is. The women he saw seldom knew his real name for crissake. He'd make a point of following them home but never spend the night. As soon as they'd fall asleep, he was gone like a flash of lightning. Only the smoke remained. He liked to keep his trysts out of town too. I was different, he later told me. Very different from the women he'd known. For some strange reason he was very attracted to my straightforwardness.

We made plans to start my training in the morning. He'd be able to tell immediately if I'd be any good at it or not after a few hours.

I had a fight in me to survive that he picked up on and respected. We quickly became friends, best friends, then more. But that took time. A very long time.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Chapter 3**

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CH – 3 –Doctors

This all brings me back to what caused the mess on that unbelievably horrific night.

Sometime later that dreadful evening, after I'd missed all the excitement at the accident site, and we were hastily attached to separate gurneys then stuffed into the back of separate Newark ambulances, we were on our way to the nearest hospital.

I opened my eyes briefly as three by three foot square discolored and water stained ceiling tiles, outlined in light gray metal framing, flipped by. I tilted my head to the left slightly catching a quick glimpse of pale green walls and dark green metal doors zip by: 206, 208, 210. My neck ached so I returned my gaze to the ceiling then let my eyes drift to the right.

"She's coming around."

The person speaking, Doctor Irena Otis, the ER doctor on duty, was dressed in light blue scrubs with a v-neck top and coordinating multicolored cap. A blue surgical mask covered the lower part of her face allowing her dark brown eyes to shine when she looked at me.

"Don't move, Mrs. Manoso. You're wearing a collar. We're taking you to x-ray."

I tried to move my hands. Wiggle my fingers.

"You're strapped to a board, honey. Try to relax."

Karen Wilson, LPN, her name tag read, was a short stout jolly lady with lots of frizzy gray curls encircling her cap. She wore bright pink scrubs, the top filled with colorful giraffes. Her chubby cheeks peeked out the sides of her mask.

More ceiling tiles flashed before my eyes as I realized where I was and why.

"My husband. Where's my husband?"

I tried to sit up. Dr. Otis placed her hand on my chest.

"He's in triage. Try to stay still."

"Is he okay?"

"I don't know the extent of his injuries. He's still in the ER. You have to stop moving, Mrs. Manoso."

My jaw ached and I had a severe sharp pain in my stomach. The lady in scrubs had blood on her shirt. A lot of blood. Was it Ranger's blood?

"Blood. Is my husband bleeding?" I wanted out. I had to get to him.

"I don't know, sweetie." Nurse Karen took my hand. "Relax honey. We're almost there."

"Please. My husband."

A tall thin older man in worn green scrubs spoke to the orderly behind me. He was tugging on the gurney I was on as we all raced down the long corridor apparently toward the x-ray department.

"Get a line on Mr. Manoso for his wife would you, Jack? I'll take over here." Then he spoke to me. "You were in a very serious car accident. Your husband is being treated in the ER. Jack will check on him as soon as we get you into x-ray." Jack jogged away from us.

"Doctor Otis. BP is 80 over 56 and dropping fast."

"She's bleeding again. Where's the damned elevator?"

I was bleeding. The blood on their clothing was mine, not Ranger's. The pain in my side was throbbing. Pretty silver sparkles danced before my eyes.

The next time I was aware of my surroundings, I heard the distinctive beep-beep-beeping of a heart monitor. A plastic bag with a thick dark liquid I knew to be blood dripped methodically into a clear tube and into my veins from a coat tree overhead. My stomach ached with a strange pain knowing that I'd felt something similar in the past. It was like menstrual cramps. My neck brace and backboard were gone but the rails on the side of my hospital bed were raised.

Flashes of white light and flying debris came back to my mind all in slow motion. The green light had just changed from red. A truck. Large, Dark, Blue. Maybe black. Speeding through the intersection. Turning sharply, abruptly towards us. Ranger leaning toward me for a kiss. Breaking glass. Screeching brakes. A jolting sensation like a bumper car. Voices echoing in my head. I remembered turning to look for Ranger at the time. His head was on my shoulder, his eyes were closed and blood pulsed from a wound on his head.

Ranger.

I felt the loss in my throat as I whispered his name. Tears formed quickly, pooled then spilled down through my hair onto the pillow under my head. I turned my head to the side about to close my eyes again, trying to forget when I spotted him sitting in the chair beside my bed. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees holding his head in his hands.

His head was wrapped in gauze like a helmet, a small spot of blood where I knew his injury to be. Ranger was dressed in two hospital gowns with a strange Monet like print. One covered his front and the other covered his back like a robe. Ugly two tone cheap gray foamy slippers covered his feet while his arm was attached to an IV pole of his own, only his lunch was clear.

"Ranger." I creaked out like a frog with a cold. My throat was sore and raw.

"Steph?" He rose slowly and carefully, bruises and bandages covering his arms and legs. "You're awake. Thank God." He leaned over the railing and kissed me. "How are you feeling?" He took my hand with the oxygen snap on my finger to his lips. "I've been so worried."

His eyes were red rimmed and glassy. He'd been crying.

"Okay, I guess. You?"

Lifting his sling restrained arm that I'd missed he said, "Broken." Then pointed to his head. "Stitches." He lifted his leg unsteadily. "Bruises."

"Why aren't you in bed, resting?"

I nodded toward the empty bed beside me.

"Later. I can't sit still."

I couldn't help but smile but as I tried to turn my body to face him, my stomach screamed at me. That's when I realized that I was heavily bandaged.

"Ranger. What happened to me?"

Something on the floor was very interesting before he lifted his head toward the ceiling. His eyes filled with tears.

"Babe. I don't know how to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"You were shot. Through the stomach." He touched his forehead with his good hand. "Me too but the bullet just winged me."

"Shot? Is it..." I swallowed. "Is it serious?"

He bit his lip, wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. He took my hand bringing it to his lips before he placed it on his cheek.

"It is isn't it? Am I going to die? Tell me the truth."

"No Babe. You aren't going to die. The bullet went through your..." he cleared his throat then lowered the rail on the side of my bed to sit before he spoke again. "They had to take the baby from you." He coughed.

I'd forgotten I was pregnant. It had only been a few hours. It hadn't really sunk in yet.

"What? No. It's too early."

"You were three months along, maybe four."

"Is it ...?"

"She. She's in the neonatal care unit upstairs."

"She? We have a little girl?"

A little girl. Would she look like me or Ranger?

"For now. Babe. She isn't ... She may not..." He dropped his head on my chest. "Babe she's so tiny. So frail. Her lungs aren't formed yet. She can't breathe on her own. She may be blind. The bullet hit close to her spine so she may never walk. And the infection... There may be brain damage. Babe she's just a ..."

Ranger was sobbing as Doctor Laura Castillo, the pediatrician assigned to us, came in.

"Mr. and Mrs. Manoso? I was hoping I'd find you together. The baby is settled if you'd like to see her."

"Is she doing any better?" Ranger asked cautiously.

She shook her head.

"I'm not optimistic."

"Steph. Are you feeling well enough to come with me? I won't go if you can't come."

"Mr. Manoso, there isn't much time. Maybe a few hours. If that."

"Help me get up."

I tried to turn but couldn't so Ranger lifted me from the bed then stood me on rubbery legs and held me until the room stopped spinning.

Dr. Castillo had commandeered a wheel chair from the hallway and the orderly attached to it. He moved my IV to the pole attached to the chair. They wheeled me to the intensive care unit where our little girl was fighting for her life.

"We have a daughter, Ranger. A little girl."

"Mrs. Manoso, don't get your hopes up. She's a very sick child."

"We have a daughter. Let us enjoy that for the moment." Ranger said as I held his hand to my chest. "Yes. We have a little girl, Babe."

Once we arrived at the unit, the nursing staff helped us put on lemon yellow paper gowns and booties, hats and masks. The room was fairly large with at least ten clear class incubators spread out all over the room. Snoopy, Sponge Bob, a big red dog along with other children's cartoon characters in bandages and crutches, frolicked merrily across the walls.

Three of the incubators were occupied each with two nurses tending them in addition to other parents. Their voices were whispers as we entered. Eyes darted everywhere but at us as we approached.

A gowned red-headed nurse, named Annie Potts, like the actress, pushed my wheelchair over to a small incubator with Ranger on my heels. At first I thought it was empty and that they'd bring her to us but I soon realized that the small little being inside the glass box was my baby. I covered my mouth as I gasped. She was no bigger than a minute, as they say, reminding me of an alien I'd seen in a recent movie.

Her skin was loose like goose flesh. Very wrinkled and dry. It was a deep dark purple color yet so clear I could count her veins. Her legs, as thin as my pinkie with no muscle or fat, brought to mind a turkey wish bone still bent and bowed from her cramped former home. Her head was misshapen like a football and had a tiny little knitted pink hat no bigger than Ranger's thumb. A diaper the size of a post-it covered her little bum. Her eyes were covered with a sort of sleep mask the nurse said was to protect them from the bright lights that kept her warm in her little glass shoe box. A big bandage was wrapped around her swollen belly. An oxygen tube was taped to her face, her nose no bigger than the eraser of a pencil. Her chest heaved up and down erratically as her miniature unformed lungs fought to fill with oxygen. She didn't move, she didn't twitch or cry. She just laid there like she'd already...

"Oh Ranger. She's so small. She doesn't have a chance."

"She's a fighter." Annie said somberly as she watched out little girl struggled to live. "She shouldn't have survived that injury."

"Just like her daddy." I said as I leaned my head on my husband.

"Just like her mommy." Ranger added as he bent to kiss the top of my head.

We stared at her for what seemed like hours although it may have only been minutes. Time seemed to stand still yet spin out of control simultaneously. First Annie, then another nurse named Meagan Schneider kept checking her vitals.

"Ranger. I want to hold her."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Manoso. You can't." Meagan said without looking at us.

"Ranger. I want to hold her. Make it happen."

I didn't bother to turn my head. I'd become accustomed to Ranger making things happen and I was going to take full advantage of his ability to make people jump.

"My wife wants to hold her child. How can we do this?"

"I'm sorry. You can't ..."

"I don't think you heard me," He took in her name tag. "Meagan. My wife wants to hold her daughter."

"Mr. Manoso, Dr. Castillo would never permit it."

"I don't care."

"I'll lose my job."

"Then call her. You're wasting precious time arguing with me. I'll give you ten minutes then I'm going to take her out of that coffin and hand my baby to her mother."

"Yes sir."

From across the room I heard: "Dr. Castillo. Are you still in your office?... The Manoso's want to hold their baby. ... I told them that you'd never allow it but he's very insistent..." She whispered with her hand over her mouth. "Okay, if you think that would be accept acceptable... Yes, doctor. I understand."

Meaghan arrived within seconds of the phone call with more plastic gloves.

"Dr. Castillo would prefer that she not be removed from the incubator but with these gloves, to prevent any further infection, you'll be able to touch your baby. The doctor will be here shortly to talk to you."

Meagan slid two pairs of bright purple gloves over my hands then taped them to my sleeves. Annie attached two pairs of extra large gray plastic gloves to Rangers hands then taped them as well.

There were two sets of holes with long flexible plastic sleeves on either side of the incubator. Ranger and I reached in through them slowly.

I touched her petite toes and fingers still without nails. Ranger touched the bandage on her belly then her cheek, what little he could reach that wasn't covered in tape and light green tubing filled with oxygen. In doing so, he knocked the tiny hat off her head. She had the cutest little tuft of dark curly hair on top of her head. One curl. Just one curl. Maybe a half dozen strands of hair. Ranger touched it.

"Just like your hair Babe only darker like mine." He flicked the itty tress gently.

Bobby, Les, Tank and Hector arrived at our rooms and were redirected to us upstairs. Bobby was allowed to don a gown and enter because of his medical training but the others were not. They watched, their noses pressed up against the large glass picture window that separated us like puppies at the pet store.

"How is she doing?" He asked Ranger with a tip of his chin. Ranger shook his head. Bobby squatted beside me. "How are you holding up Steph?"

I shrugged my shoulders as I counted the wee fingers and toes for the hundredth time.

Bobby walked over to talk to Meagan. They'd dated briefly but remained friends.

"How long?" He asked.

"Not long. It's hard to judge. She's a little fighter."

"Just like her parents."

I felt a light tap on my shoulder and turned to see Karen, the nurse that had taken me to x-ray.

"Honey. I know this isn't a good time but," She tapped on her clipboard. "It never is but have you decided on a name for her birth certificate yet?"

"What?" I asked as I wiped my eyes on my shoulder, my baby's hand resting on the tip of my finger.

She looked at Ranger.

"The little lady should have a name."

We hadn't really had time to think about a name for our little girl although I'd always hoped that if we ever had a daughter, I'd name her after the woman I admired most in the world. Ranger had agreed although he liked another name too. The name of the woman he felt closest to other than me. I looked at Ranger and smiled. He nodded in agreement.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Chapter 4**

* * *

CH – 4 - Decision

"Edna Rose. Edna Rose Manoso."

"That's a beautiful name for a beautiful little girl."

Karen's chubby cheeks were again proof of the smile under her mask. I hoped to one day witness it without the disguise.

"Karen." Annie called to her. "Would you pick up this call?"

"I'm filling out Miss Manoso's birth certificate. Would you take a message for me please?"

Karen then asked for my name and date of birth, city where I was born then asked Ranger for his information as well. She took her clipboard to the office desk in the corner of the room to pick up her message. She returned to us immediately with a small slip of pink paper.

"Mr. Manoso, do you know a Father Sanchez? He's our associate chaplain."

"_Padre Sanchez_ is my uncle. My mother's brother." Ranger interjected.

Ranger's uncle had retired from San Miguel Roman Catholic Church a few years prior for health reasons but continued to work as associate chaplain part-time at the hospital we were in, Notre Dame Christian Hospital of Newark. I was confused at first then realized that he wanted to come to give Edna Rose the last rites.

"Stephanie? Are you okay with this?"

Ranger pulled his arms from the tunnel then crouched beside me.

"Babe?"

"Father Sanchez wants to...?"

"Yes. Is it okay? I spoke to my mother while you were in surgery. She suggested it and I told her that I would talk to you about it. I'm sorry. It slipped my mind."

I nodded my okay.

I'd grown up as a practicing member of the Roman Catholic Church. We both had, although Ranger and I seldom entered a church anymore unless there was a special occasion like a wedding or a…a funeral. It was expected.

"Karen. Please ask him to come."

Within a few minutes, he appeared at the door and dressed quickly in a paper gown. He'd done this before.

Father Sanchez reminded me of a male version of Ranger's mother, which he was. He was small in stature with dark skin. His silver gray hair was sparse forming a horseshoe around his head. He was kind and considerate and unobtrusive. He offered and we agreed to allow him to baptize Edna Rose first, not for us, but for our families. My mother and Ranger's mother had become quite close. Even our father's shared the occasional beer at the grange hall or suffered through a few fishing trips with Ranger's brothers.

After he left, we realized that most of our family was waiting outside the nursery.

"Babe. Are you okay with a little company? You look tired. You could use a rest."

I'd already nearly passed out twice but I was determined that I wasn't going anywhere.

"No. I don't know how much longer we have."

Ranger conceded defeat as Meagan stopped by to check on Edna Rose. The look on her face was grim before she spoke to Annie. Annie picked up the phone.

Karen appeared again with her clipboard and forms for us to sign to let Edna Rose die. A sort of Living Will. Such an odd term, I thought.

"I can't." I sobbed.

"Give us a minute." Ranger said as he held me then knelt in front of me.

"Steph. What do you want to do? Edna Rose doesn't have a chance. You know that."

"What do you want to do?"

"This isn't up to me alone. It's our decision."

"She's going to die, isn't she?"

I felt my heart drain.

"Yes Babe. She is. No matter how long we prolong this, she's going to die."

I took a breath. I wanted her no matter what condition she'd be in but I had to be realistic. We'd had a few hours, now we were probably down to minutes."

"We should let her go, shouldn't we?"

He lowered his head but didn't answer.

"Ranger? Please talk to me."

His mouth was dry and his words were barely audible.

"Yes, my love. We have to be strong for our daughter. We should let her go."

I touched his cheek wiping his tears with my thumb.

"Karen. Give us the forms." I cried out.

As soon as the papers were presented to us, the ceiling caved in.

"Dr. Castillo. You had better get up here. The little Manoso baby is crashing." I vaguely heard Annie say.

Ranger and I were suddenly pulled away from Edna Rose and strongly encouraged to stand back as Annie and Meagan and a red headed male nurse tending to another critical care baby opened the incubator and worked on our little girl.

"Ranger. What's happening?"

He held me as I sat in the wheelchair I'd been in right along.

"I don't know, Babe."

He knew. We both knew.

Dr. Castillo threw the double doors open and was assisted with her paper gown getup by another nearby nurse. She continued toward us then shifted in the direction of the baby calling out orders. It seemed like forever but may have only been a nano-second before the hubbub ebbed.

"She isn't going to make it. We've only delayed the inevitable. You have to let her go. There is no longer any brain activity whatsoever."

"Give us a minute."

"You don't have a minute." She shouted.

Dr. Castillo needed a lesson in bedside manner.

Once the forms were signed and witnessed, Dr. Castillo began to turn dials attached to the machinery bolted to the wall behind us.

Ranger tore off his gloves, shredding the sleeves of his yellow gown in the process, then took Edna Rose from the incubator. We wanted her to die in her mother and father's embrace.

He carried Edna Rose to me quickly and placed her in my arms. I pulled the white tape and mask from her face then nestled her between my breasts. Ranger was holding her little bum in his good hand as he knelt beside me. He rested his head beside Edna Rose's tiny lifeless body lying on my chest. We kissed her goodbye.

Our families watched as our baby, our daughter, our precious little girl, our Edna Rose Manoso took her last breath and passed on to a higher life.

In a surreal moment, everyone and everything disappeared into a cloud of emotion as we held onto each other. Ranger leaned his head against mine and we cried for the baby we'd never know.

The next day, we went home empty handed and alone. Ranger had been released that day but stayed the extra night with me, not wanting to leave my side.

We arrived home to a building full of flowers and casseroles and cards filled with messages of condolence. Our families had made the funeral arrangements. All we had to do was show up.

The guys had all been great and allowed Ranger and me our privacy to mourn.

We showered that morning, a few days later, then dressed in the required black ensembles of the faithful. It was overcast and threatened to rain. How very appropriate.

Ranger wore his double breasted black Armani suit, with a dark pink shirt in honor of Edna Rose. I wore a simple black dress, with a matching black jacket, black stockings and large Sophia Loren sunglasses. My hair, I wore loose letting it fall around my face to hide my swollen eyes. I held Ranger's arm tightly despite the short cast, creasing the fabric while we were in church, yet remained numb as a small white and gold casket covered in pink rose petals took my attention from everyone walking by, hugging us and offering their sympathy.

The same scenario repeated itself at the cemetery as I stood on weak knees beside the hole in the ground where my daughter would spend eternity until we could join her. A large granite statue of an angel had been shipped from a quarry in Barre, Vermont overnight and rested on a temporary foundation. It would be placed beside the Manoso family monuments where Ranger's past family members also waited. A brass plaque was specially ordered to be tapped with our baby's name and date of her birth and date of her … her passing.

My Mother later said that nearly the whole city showed up, including the Morelli clan. Father Sanchez had apparently said nice words, I was told, both at the church and the cemetery. He announced to everyone in attendance that Mr. and Mrs. Plum and Mr. and Mrs. Manoso would be hosting a light lunch back at the church hall. All were invited.

"I want to go home."

"Soon, Babe."

"I want to go home now."

"Babe. We can't."

"Now Ranger. I want to go home right now." I removed my sunglasses and wiped my eyes. "I can't take anymore. I want to go home."

"Okay. Let's just say our goodbyes…"

"No. I'll wait for you in the car. Take me home." I added the magic word. "Please."

"Les." Ranger called out. He was at our side in a heartbeat. "Take Steph to the car. I'm taking her home but I have to make our excuses to everyone first."

"Will do." He offered me his arm. "Come on Steph. Let's get you home."

I held onto Les for dear life as Ranger explained to our families and friends that I needed to leave.

I was snapping my seat belt, searchinh the abyss when Ranger returned.

"Thanks Les. You guys go to the luncheon. We'll meet back at Rangemen later on."

"Love you Steph." Les kissed my tear stained cheek softly. "You call any one of us if you need anything, okay? Anything, anytime. Day or night. Understand?"

I nodded as I continued to stare off into the distance. It looked to me like there was no pain there. That's where I wanted to be.

Les patted Ranger on the shoulder after he'd kissed my check then joined the others by the mound of dirt under the fuzzy green tarp.

"You okay, Steph?" He asked softly.

"No. No I'm not." I didn't know if I'd ever be okay again.

I woke up the following morning confused, wondering where I was. I'd had a horrible nightmare. I dreamt that I was holding a tiny bundle wrapped in a pale yellow blanket. I heard a popping sound then a spot of red appeared on the fabric. It quickly spread all over the blanket until it began to drip onto the floor and pool at my feet. I smelled the sweet metallic stench only blood can emit. There were people all around me, friends and family but no one would help.

"Help me." I cried out. "Help me. My baby. "

They continued to talk and laugh as they stood around joking and schmoozing. They ate tiny sandwiches and sipped on amber colored beverages from bottles and tall thin glasses as I made the rounds begging for someone to help me. I was initially relieved to hear sirens off in the distance but the EMTs joined the others with the celebration.

"Stephanie." Ranger was shaking me. "Wake up."

"What?"

"Wake up Babe. You were having a bad dream."

I pulled him to me.

"It was awful. I dreamt that I'd had a baby and it died in my arms. Someone shot it. There was blood everywhere. No one would help me."

"Shh. It's over now. _Icalme mi amor_."

"Oh but Ranger. It was so real."

"I know." He rocked me in his strong arms as I struggled to regain my composure. "There may be more episodes but as time goes by, they'll be less severe. Dr. Castillo told us to …"

I pulled from his grasp.

"It wasn't a dream, was it? It really happened. I had a baby but it died. Someone shot it. Oh Ranger."

I began to cry, then sob hysterically. Out of control. I wanted to run. Hide. Ranger called Bobby. Within minutes he was beside me with Les and Tank. I felt a tiny prick then fell into a blissful, dreamless sleep.

Days had passed before we were both on our feet again physically after that horrid event and the death of our baby. Mentally was another story.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Chapter 5**

* * *

CH – 5 - Discovery

As details unfolded from the accident recreation investigation, we realized that had Ranger not leaned over to kiss me that night, my tale would be quite different. The police pulled a 9mm slug out of the telephone pole a few feet from the intersection where the accident occurred. The small, now misshapen, copper slug had supposedly been intended for Ranger's brain, the investigator surmised, to end his life, in essence ending mine as well.

The ballistics check was a bust, of course. Nothing in the system was a match other than the bullet was from a common, easily attainable hunting rifle shot from at least fifty feet away. That type of gun could be fitted effortlessly by a two year old with a scope turning it into a sniper rifle.

To add insult to injury, the abandoned office building across the street, where the shooter must have stood, burst into flames after a minor explosion before the police could get to it and it burned to the ground within minutes of the accident. The result of a very well orchestrated arson job, we were told. Unfortunately no shell casing was ever found amongst the debris, only the charred remains of a man holding a rifle in the stairwell with a .45 bullet hole of his very own in his skull, execution style.

The list of possible hired guns was endless. Although Joe Morelli, my former boyfriend could definitely be eliminated from the line-up since he'd been killed in front of the court house steps after the rape hearing I'd initiated a few years back, there was always his brother Mooch, his disgruntled police co-workers, his widow Terry Gilman's Mafia family connections, although that was doubtful, or the uncounted enemies Ranger had made over the years. The sensitive reason Ranger had used to keep me at arms length for so long. I wondered at the time if we'd ever know the identity of the person or persons behind the hit.

Ranger's Porsche, his beloved Turbo, was declared a total loss as a result of the crash and un-repairable. Poor thing resembled medieval chain mail that had gone through a meat grinder. The radiator alone looked like the remnants of an unraveled sweater as they hauled it away on the back of Ernie's flatbed tow truck.

It was a wonder we hadn't both been killed immediately when we were hit head on by the truck that had followed us and tried to run us off the road, moments before the accident. It had careened through the red light just as gun shots rang out. Another unsolved mystery as the injured driver left the scene and took off on foot. The truck was being reported as stolen from a local contractor as the melee unfolded.

An aromatic body in a dumpster found a week later two streets away, had a .45 hole in the back of his head matching the slug taken from the telephone pole and that of our original crispy critter and its twin had gone through the center of his spine for good measure.

After the funeral, I went to bed. I slept off and on but mostly I stared at the ceiling unable to cry. My heart had been ripped from my chest and thrown down an eternal well.

Ranger tried desperately to be patient with me. He really did, in retrospect. He neglected his work to stay with me but eventually headed to the fifth floor to his office to work for an hour, then two, three, then more.

After a month, I still refused to get dressed and get down to my own office.

"Steph. They love you. They miss you. Please come down. They're worried about you." He had said thinking I was unable to face our friends and family.

Ranger then offered to bring the paperwork upstairs so I could work in our upstairs office to try to distract me.

We hadn't been to either of our parents in all of that time. I also refused to talk to anyone, even Lula, my best friend. She stopped by one day and banged on the door. I ignored her pleas. She left in a huff. Who could blame her? Would I have reacted as she had? Probably.

"Hey little girl… It's Lula… Steph? Are you there? ... Come on girl. Let me in. I won't preach. I promise…Steph. I just want to see you. I miss you, Honey… The man says you're okay but I have to see for myself…" She banged on the door again. "Stephanie. Please. This has gone on too long. It ain't healthy. Ranger needs you. I need you. We all do." …. After a long period of silence; "Okay, fine. That's the way you want it? Be that way. You need help girl. You need to talk to someone. I won't be back until you do." From the shaking of her voice, I knew she was crying.

I never called her choosing instead to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head.

When Ranger came home for dinner that night he mentioned Lula's visit as we sat at the dinning room table. He had been coming upstairs later and later as the days passed by. I was beginning to get the feeling that he didn't want to be around Miss Gloom and Doom. I couldn't blame him. I didn't want to be near her either. Denial Land wasn't far enough away.

I had been preparing most of our meals during the past few years, giving our housekeeper a much deserved respite but Ella had prepared a nice dinner for us that night. Grilled chicken breasts marinated in lime and cilantro with brown rice and steamed zucchini and summer squash.

Ranger spoke as we ate.

"I saw Lula in the hallway today." He took a sip of wine.

"Yeah."

I picked at a piece of zucchini and pulled the seeds from it with my fork. My chin was in my palm while my elbow rested on the table

"Did she stop by?"

A freshly starched and pressed linen napkin touched his lips.

"Yeah."

He waited for more but I wasn't in the mood to talk.

"And… What did she have to say?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yeah. Nothing. I didn't talk to her."

Sitting up straight, then sliding down in my set, I stared out of the tall dining room window.

"Why not?"

"Didn't feel like it."

My vegetables went from the left side of my plate to the right but I failed to spear any one of them.

"Steph. She came all the way out here to see you. Why wouldn't you talk to her? She's you best friend."

"All the way over here? Vinnie's is only a few miles away."

"That's irrelevant. She made the effort to come up to see you."

"Get off my back Ranger."

"I'm not on your back, Babe. I just don't understand why…"

I pounded my fist on the edge of the table catching him off guard.

"I don't want to see anyone. Okay. Can't you get that through your thick head?"

I poked at the chicken in my plate, most of it uneaten, then pushed my plate to the center of the table.

"I'm done."

"Steph. She just wanted to see you. She loves you, Babe. She misses you."

Then it donned on me.

"You sent her, didn't you? You sonovabitch."

"No I didn't."

"Liar."

"Steph I didn't."

"Don't lie to me."

I screamed then shoved my chair back and headed for the bedroom to lock myself in the closet, if I had to. Ranger followed me. Then the speech he'd been holding back erupted like a volcano.

"Listen to me Stephanie."

He grabbed my arm, swung me around and threw me on the bed.

"I've been walking on eggshells for weeks trying to let you heal. But you're not getting any better. You're getting worst. You won't talk to anyone; not your mother, my mother, our grandmothers, your friends. Hell you won't even talk to me."

I tried to stand but he pushed me back down.

"You don't understand. I'm hurting."

"Really Stephanie? You're hurting?"

"Yes. I just lost a baby. A beautiful little girl I'll never get to know. You don't understand what it's like."

Ranger's expression had changed from comforter to aggressor in a heartbeat. I'd seldom seen him lose his cool in all of the years I'd known him but he lost it that day.

"I don't know what its like? How dare you say that to me? She was my daughter too, Stephanie. I hurt too." He tapped his chest. "You don't think I lost something that day. I not only lost a child, I lost my wife." He swung his arms. "Look at this place. It's a pig sty. You haven't cleaned, or picked up in weeks. The dishwasher and sink are full of dirty dishes. When is the last time you did laundry or cooked a meal for us?"

"That's what you pay Ella to do."

"She's not well. You know that. You promised months ago to ease her burden by taking care of everything here for her. She was shocked when she dropped off dinner tonight. I hated calling her but I don't remember the last time I had a decent meal."

"Hire someone else to replace her."

"Stephanie, listen to yourself. You're belittling Ella."

"Maybe my loyalties were misplaced."

"Stop it. Stop it right now. You have to snap out of this funk you're in. We need to get on with our lives."

I stood quickly and slapped his face.

"This is your fault."

"My fault? How is this my fault?"

"Someone shot my baby because they were trying to kill you."

"Steph you don't mean that." His voice was soft, shocked, and wounded.

"They killed Edna Rose instead. It should be you lying in that grave. You killed her."

"What?" He hollered. The veins in his neck straining to pop.

"You made me sign those papers. In the hospital."

"Steph. We talked about it. You agreed."

"No. YOU decided. Not me."

"I've had enough of this." He threw up his hands.

He walked into the dressing room. Pulling out a small duffel, he filled it with a clean change of clothes then took it into the bathroom and filled it with toiletries.

"Where are you going?"

He didn't answer me right off but stopped at the bedroom door.

"Where are you going? I said."

"There's an empty apartment. I'm going to stay there until you get your shit together."

"You're leaving me?"

"I can see where this argument is going. Nowhere. You're overwrought and I'm angry. One of us is going to say something we're going to regret."

"Bullshit."

He got right into my face.

"Something is wrong with you Stephanie. You need to talk to someone."

"There isn't anything wrong with me. I've been through a very traumatic event and I need time to recover."

"It's been over a month Stephanie. You're like a zombie around her. You won't clean or cook. You refuse to go out with me or go to work. And now you're blaming me for our baby's death? When is the last time you took a shower or even got dressed? When we go to bed at night you won't let me touch you. Do you remember when we last made love? I certainly don't." He sighed then ran his fingers through his hair. "I've tried to be patient with you but even my patience is running out. I don't know what to do for you anymore."

"That's all you ever think about. Sex. You're a… a pig."

"Really? That's an odd comment coming from you." He said as he poked me in the chest lightly. "You've never complained about my sex drive before. Nor have I about yours." He had his hand on the door but didn't look at me. "You have one week. One week to find someone to talk to and get the help you need. If you do, I'll be back and work with you. If not, I'm going to handcuff and shackle you then haul you off to Belleview." I must have looked dazed when he looked at me again. "Are you listening to me?"

The sound of heavy angry boots reached the door. As he headed for the stairs, I continued my rant.

"Oh, I see now. I see what's happening here. You're blaming me for all of this but you're the one who never wanted a baby. You want to forget about her. Don't you? Forget it ever happened." I screamed as my chin quivered. "Her name was Edna Rose, Ranger. Edna Rose. She was real. I held her in my arms."

Ranger was well out of sight when I raised my arms as though I was still cradling my daughter. Walking over to the rocking chair in the corner of the dining room where I'd been sitting when I wasn't in bed.

"Shush, Edna Rose. Daddy isn't really mad at you. He's mad at Mommy."

I rocked my daughter and sang her a lullaby.

_ "__Hush little baby, don't say a word, Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird. _

_..."_

* * *

**Chapter 6: Chapter 6**

* * *

CH –6 - Desperation

The following morning I woke, still sitting in the rocking chair. My neck had a kink in it. There was no coffee brewing in the coffee maker. No freshly cut bowl of fruit on the counter beside a sliced bagel ready to toast. No smell of Bulgari shower gel wafting throughout the apartment that I had until the night before, shared with the man I thought loved me with no bounds. The only sound was that of the kitchen clock ticking away the seconds of my miserable life.

Truth be told, he did love me. His performance, for lack of a better term, the night before, was to wake me from the self induced stupor so we could move on. He didn't want to forget what happened, neither did I but the fact was that we had to move on, for ourselves, our friends, our families and mostly for our little girl. It was time to dig out my big girl pants and hike them up to my armpits.

I began with the apartment.

First, I picked up all of the dirty laundry all over the house and stripped the bed. The washer was running its first load as I picked up the dirty dishes and cups we'd strewn around the apartment, our home. I poured dish detergent in the dishwasher and set the dial for pots and pans.

Next, I grabbed a bucket, filled it with warm water, a rag and a mild cleaning agent then headed for the office. As I reached the desk in Ranger's office, the red light on the phone began blinking telling me that Ranger was using the phone in his office downstairs. Was he calling Belleview? I took a deep breath, pressed a free line then brought the receiver to my ear. I punched in the number for Dr. Greene. He was the only shrink I knew.

"Dr. Greene's office. May I help you?" Mandy, his receptionist and daughter answered.

"Hi Mandy. This is Stephanie Manoso. Is Dr. Greene in today?"

"Hello Stephanie. I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. How are you holding up?"

"Not well. That's why I'm calling. I know your dad can't help me, but I need to talk to someone and I thought maybe he could help me find somebody."

"Of course. He's between patients right now. Let me see if I can catch him for you."

Soft elevator music played as I waited.

"Stephanie? How are you doing?" Dr Green said.

His voice was calming. It was easy to see why Ranger thought so much of him. He'd been a huge help when Ranger needed to take a large burden from his shoulders after a mission gone very badly.

"Not very well apparently. Ranger is handling this much better than I am."

"Is that what you think?"

"Has he called you?"

"He certainly has."

"About me?" I was angry.

"Yes and no. He mentioned that you were struggling but he never went into specifics."

Relieved that he hadn't betrayed me, not that I thought he would have, I continued.

"That's why I'm calling. I know you can't help me, but I thought you could refer me to someone. Someone you trust."

"I've been thinking about that since I last spoke to Ranger. I've already spoken to one of my colleagues in case you called. Dr. Anna Troika. We went to medical school together. She's ex-military like I am. Served in Iraq and Afghanistan at some orphanages. She's also heavily involved with Doctor's Without Borders. She specializes in your type of trauma."

"Do you think she'd see me?"

"Yes. She said as soon as you're ready to give her a call. She's semi retired now because of the volunteer work she does abroad but she should be able to see you sooner than later."

Dr. Greene passed me onto Mandy who provided me with Dr. Troika's phone number. We made an appointment for the next day at nine o'clock.

I'd begun turning the wheel and made the call. Hopefully Ranger would be pleased and not ship me off to Siberia or worse yet, Belleview.

I continued with the cleaning. Although I was very gung ho in the beginning, my stamina waned as the day wore on. Yet, I was still happy with the results at the end of my run as I tucked the vacuum cleaner back into the tall thin cabinet beside the fridge until the next time.

The scent of pine danced in the air. Our home looked as good as it smelled for the first time in weeks.

With my head in the fridge, and my arms oveburdened with meat and begetables, I tried to remember the last time I'd cooked a meal for my husband.

I was headed to take a shower while dinner baked in the oven when my phone rang.

"Hello Stephanie. What time would your like dinner tonight dear? Is there anything special you'd like me to make for you?"

"Hello Ella. I'm going to make dinner tonight. You don't have to."

"Oh? I just spoke to Ranger. He asked me to call you. He said…"

"I know." I took a breath then continued. "Ella I want to thank you for everything you and Luis have done for Ranger and me over these past weeks. You've been a God send. A real angel. I want you to know how much I appreciate it and… and I need to apologize. If I was rude or abrupt with you at any point, I'm sorry. I haven't been myself and..."

"Oh my dear. There's no need to apologize. You've been through a very emotional time."

"Yes. I have. We both have. But that's no excuse to be abusive to those who love and care for you. I'm sorry."

I felt her smile through the telephone lines.

"Apology accepted."

"How are you feeling?"

"Oh I'm fine. Just old age setting in." She chuckled.

"Ella. Really. How are you?"

"Every day I can get out of bed and do my job, is a blessing."

"Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Nothing dear."

"Ella." I pushed.

"If you could help with some of the weekly grocery shopping and daily laundry for the men, it would be much appreciated. I can handle the daily cooking and cleaning at my own pace."

"Of course."

"When you're well Stephanie."

I was feeling better about myself already just knowing about my appointment in the morning.

"As soon as I can."

"Thank you dear."

After I nice long shower, I dressed in a stretchy black sun dress with a coordinating red, black and gold bolero vest. I'd even done my hair and make-up. Dinner waited patiently in the oven having outdone myself with a chicken and yellow rice casserole. I'd found the recipe online some time ago. Ranger had fallen in love with it telling me that it reminded him of his youth.

It was similar to a dish that his maternal grandmother had made for him for his birthday every year. She passed away when he was seven and he hadn't had it since.

It was six o'clock so I turned the oven off and lit the tall thin golden candles in the silver holders I'd taken from the mantle. They were a wedding gift from Lula and Connie. I delicately touched the engraved _M_ on the base. Chopin skillfully tickled the ivories on air currents overhead. The cream colored linen table runner was clean, starched and pressed. The black and white dishes glistened. A bottle of our favorite _Sauvignon Blanc_ was breathing in the center of the table beside two gold rimmed medium-tall narrow glasses with long stems.

I sat patiently thumbing through one of several magazines that I'd tastefully splayed across the living room coffee table.

By seven o'clock, though not overly concerned, I continued to wait. I knew there was a promise of a large account waiting to be quoted. I'd heard Ranger talking to Tank while I was in my stupor.

When Ranger hadn't arrived or called by eight o'clock, I decided to take a walk to his office. The candles had long since been blown out.

The hallway was dark save for the nighttime floor lights that lit my path. All of the daytime employees were gone and only the skeletal second shift remained.

Ranger's office door was closed and locked. I tapped lightly.

"Ranger? It's me."

I got no reply.

I heard voices coming from the lunch room across from his office. The lights were on. Hal and Les were sharing a pizza and beer talking sports and women. I assumed they were off duty but were still there since both had apartments in the building.

"Hi guys." I said as I walked into the room.

"Steph?" Hal said, surprised to see me. I hadn't seen Hal since the funeral.

"Hey Steph. How are ya doing?" Les stood quickly and met me with a hug and a kiss to my cheek. "Nice to see you out and about. How are you doing, really?"

"Better. I'm …" No need to tell blabber mouth about the shrink. "Have you seen Ranger? He didn't come up for dinner. Is he here?"

Les shrugged his shoulders and looked at Hal.

"He's in the gun range. Been there a couple of hours, I think." Hal said between bites,

"Thanks guys. I'll go check for myself."

I left quickly. I was healing but I was far from better. I'd taken one tiny baby step that day and I was still trying not to fall over.

The stairs were silent under my sandals as I descended into the entrails of the building. The staff gun range was on the second floor, which I checked but Ranger's private gun range was under the parking garage, two stories down. One story below the holding cells. I met Tank in the stairwell.

"Steph." His tone was cold though I shouldn't have been surprised. His best friend was hurting and I was to blame.

"Hi Tank. Is Ranger down there?"

"Yes. He's been there all afternoon." Bad sign. Very bad sign. "What the hell's going on between you two? He's a fucking mess."

"Tank. I'm sorry but I've…"

"Stop thinking about yourself all the time. Think of him once in a while. He deserves better."

Tank slammed his big boots up the stairs before I could finish my apology. He was just one of many on my ever growing list.

Although the secure door was tightly shut and locked, I could hear the constant pinging of the tiny explosions Ranger's gun was making. I rang the buzzer but he couldn't hear it with the ear protectors in place so I flashed the small red light to get his attention. He stopped firing and peered quizzically at the blinking light looking slightly confused then turned toward the small bullet proof glass window in the door. I waved at him and pointed to the door knob so he'd open it for me.

He clicked the safety on his gun then set it on the counter before he removed his protective goggles then opened the door.

"What do you want?" He asked then rested his mufflers around his neck.

"You missed dinner."

"Ella will understand."

"No. Ella didn't make dinner. I did."

His phone rang.

"Jesus Christ."

Tearing the phone from his hip, he read the display. _Abuela_. He rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers.

"Better answer her. She's just going to call back."

"Yeah." He pressed the green button then spoke. _"Abuela. Como Esta?"_

_"Bien. And you my grandson, are you well?"_

Poor Abuela is as deaf as a post so she talks on the phone with her outside voice, as most people who are hard of hearing might do. Ranger was holding the phone a foot from his ear as she spoke.

_"Si Abuela. I am fine."_

_"You do not sound fine."_

_"I am okay, really."_

_"And your wife. How is she?"_

_"Stephanie is okay, I guess_." He looked at me then turned his back and walked back toward the munitions room. "_We do not see eye to eye lately."_

_"I am sorry, my Nino. Is there something I can do for you?"_

_"Make her see reason?"_

_"Would it help if I spoke to her?"_

_"I do not know."_

_"Do you think she would listen to me? You always listened to me."_

_"That is because you scare me."_

_Abuela_ laughed.

_"That is good. Now. Will she talk to me?"_

_"You are not the one she is mad at. I am the one she hates right now."_

_"I do not believe this. She loves you."_

_"I wish that was true."_

_"If I invited her to come to see me, would she come?"_

_"I do not know, Abuela. Call her tomorrow. You have her cell phone number."_

_"No, no. You talk to her. You are her husband. You tell her I want to see her. You have her call me."_

_"Abuela. She barely speaks to me. I doubt …"_

_"Now. Go find her. Right now."_

He knew better to argue with his grandmother.

_"Si Abuela. Hold on. I will get her."_

* * *

**Chapter 7: Chapter 7**

* * *

CH - 7 - Determination

I had left Ranger alone to speak to his grandmother in private and headed back upstairs. I was in my office taking in the empty in-box. Someone had been doing my job for me.

He tapped softly on my open door. I hadn't turned the lights on.

"Stephanie? Are you in here?"

"Yes. Come in."

The hallway night lighting danced around my door frame as he stood hesitantly haloed in gold then flicked the switch.

"I'm sorry to bother you but _Abuela_ insists that you speak to her." He reached out to me still holding his phone.

"Sure." I also knew that arguing with Abuela was futile.

He backed from the doorway and walked toward the lunch room.

_"Dias Abuela. Como Esta?"_

_"Bien, mi Estefania."_

"Ranger said you wanted to talk to me?"

_"Si, si_. I want to talk to you. You come to Miami to see me or I will come to see you."

I knew she wasn't well and that kind of trip would kill her.

"Yes. I'll come."

"Good girl. You come tonight and bring your pj's. You will sleep on my couch. _Tell my grandson I love him_." She was about to hang up.

"I can't come tonight. It's very late and I have a doctor's appointment in the morning. I'll come as soon as I can."

She hesitated like she had something else to say.

"Stephanie?"

"Yes?"

"I changed my mind. You come tomorrow. Bring my grandson. I want to talk to him too."

"_Abuela_. I don't think that's a very good idea. We're having a hard time right now. He …" I started to say he'd moved out but bit my tongue. Thankfully _Abuela_ seldom let anyone finish a sentence.

"Nonsense. You come with your husband. I insist."

I took a deep breath as I rubbed my forehead knowing I wasn't going to win that battle.

"I'll talk to him."

"Good. You come soon. Stay in the apartment downtown when you come."

'Shit.' I thought.

_"Si Abuela."_

Ranger was standing in the lunch room fussing with the coffee maker. He'd taken it apart and was rinsing the glass pot under the spigot when I approached.

"Ranger." I said softly as he turned the cold water valve and filled the empty container with cold water.

"Yes." I waited until he looked at me.

"Your grandmother wants to see you. Us actually."

Coffee grounds filled the paper liner as he counted the scoops quietly in his mind.

"Alright. I'll make plane reservations for myself for some time next week as soon as I get back to my office. When do you want to go? I'll make your reservations for you unless you'd prefer to do it yourself."

"She wants to see us tomorrow."

"Christ." He shook his head. "Fine. I'll see what I can do."

I touched his arm gently, his head turning with a snap staring at my hand as though I'd just hit him with my tazer.

"She insists that we go together."

His eyes met mine.

"Are you okay with that?"

"Yes, but she wants us to be there tomorrow morning. I told her I can't go. I um, have a doctor's appointment. I can go after that. She wants us to stay at the apartment. Together."

He pushed the tray holding the grounds into the large silver box. It groaned and sputtered then sprang to life. The rich nutty smell of brewing coffee filled the air within seconds.

"When will that woman learn to mind her own business? Can you call Dr. Leavitt and change your appointment?"

"It's with a doctor Troika. Doctor Greene recommended her to me. She's a shrink. She specializes in …"

"You made an appointment to see someone?" He turned his head quickly towards me.

"Yes. I was hoping you'd come with me. It's just outside Philadelphia. I have to be there for nine. Can you take me? I'm kind of nervous." My cuticles needed a trim

"You really made an appointment, Babe?"

"Yes."

His smile was warm and comforting.

"I'm so proud of you, Steph. Thank you for doing this. I know it must have been very difficult for you."

"I don't want to go to Belleview." I said sheepishly.

Ranger laughed.

We walked absentmindedly back to his office then Ranger settled himself in his big leather chair behind his desk and began his search for flights to Miami.

"There's a flight leaving at eleven-thirty tomorrow morning." He glanced at his watch. "We'd never make it in time." His finger pushed and pulled on the wheel of his mouse. "There's one at four. We could make that one if we're already packed before your appointment and the traffic is on our side. "Do you mind taking the same flight? I'll try to get us seats in different rows. Okay?"

I'd been standing beside him as he searched for flights then sat on the edge of his desk. His face was bathed in a flickering bluish glow from the computer screen.

"No I don't mind if we're on the same flight and 'no' it is not okay to sit in a different row. If there are two seats together, I'd like to sit with you."

His lip turned up slightly and I knew he was suppressing a smile.

"Row seventeen okay?"

"Fine, as long as there are two seats next to each other."

"Row seventeen, seats A and B. Window and center seat."

"Great."

"You should go pack. I'll do the same so I'm ready to leave with you in the morning."

I glanced at his duffel sitting open on the floor. A rolled up pair of jeans was nestled on the couch by the arm like a pillow. Busted. He'd slept in his office.

His black Amex in his hand, he typed in our names and required info as he spoke.

"Thank you for doing this for my grandmother. I appreciate it."

"She's my grandmother too, isn't she?"

I slid off the desk and settled myself on my husband's lap.

"What are you doing?" He said cautiously.

"Come back upstairs. Please? You said you'd come back if I sought help. I have a doctor's appointment. I'm trying. I even cleaned the apartment today. I did the laundry and I made dinner. I took a shower and got dressed up for you and everything. See?" I said as I fluttered by mascara covered eyelashes at him.

"You do smell nice. Very nice." He sniffed at my neck. "Tangerine." He said then sniffed again.

I pulled away with a slight giggle.

"Have you had anything to eat yet? Dinner is still in the oven. I might be a little bit dried out but it should be okay. It's a casserole."

"What did you make?"

"Your grandmother's recipe with chicken and yellow rice."

I tugged at the collar of his shirt and whispered. "I opened a bottle of wine." Then sang out teasingly. "It's a nice _Sauvigon Blanc_. Your favorite." I touched my lips to his ear. "I could re-light the candles."

Ranger turned off the lamp on his desk, locked his door then we headed toward the elevator. He'd always told me he could hear the gears turning in my head and could actually smell the smoke from my convoluted thought process. I heard his gears turning and I know I smelled smoke.

"I want to apologize for the way I spoke to you last night. I'm not myself. I know that now." I fought hard to keep my tears in check.

"I forgive you if you'll forgive me. I was angry and hurt. I'm sorry Steph."

"I want to try to heal for you. For us."

"No. You have to do this for yourself first. The rest will take care of itself."

Dinner was a little dry but the wine was fabulous and the company was absolutely magnificent.

Later that evening, once we'd gone to bed, Ranger was lying on his side and I was on my back staring at the ceiling. I turned my head, facing his back. He'd removed the tie from his hair and let it fall onto the mound of foam rubber pillow under his head.

It was long, very long and dark and silky with waves that led to spooling curls at the tips. When it was short, it was fairly straight but with body. It was long enough for a ponytail when we married but it was cut short, military short, just after he left on his last mission. The mission from hell.

He hadn't cut it again since he returned. I turned onto my side to touch it, twirling the curls around my fingers. I didn't think he'd notice but I should have known better. He turned, catching me red handed.

"What are you doing?" His voice was soft yet deep and sleepy.

"Nothing."

I lowered my eye lids sliding my naughty hand until he caught it. He turned it and chuckled.

"Nothing?"

Releasing my hand he reached for my hair, twirling my curls in his own fingers giving it a gentle tug.

"What are you doing?"

My turn to grill him.

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

My hand now free, I ran the back of my hand on his cheek feeling slight stubble, his sexy as hell five o'clock shadow. He shifted his weight edging closer to me.

"What are you doing now?"

He whispered, his eyes closing at my touch.

"Nothing."

I spoke more softly as his hand brushed against my cheek then settled on my shoulder with a gentle squeeze.

I leaned it for a much needed kiss. He obliged with a peck on my forehead, then my nose. His breathing was heavy and labored as he moved closer.

"What are you doing now?"

My voice was barely audible.

"I'm not sure but I think I'm going to make love to my wife."

Warm moist lips touched my shoulder as he pulled me closer.

"What are you doing now?"

"I think I'm going to let my husband make love to me."

_"Gacias mi amo, Estefania. Te amo con todo mi corazón."_

Like a snake slithering through the jungles of Africa he slid on top of me.

We made love that night for the first time in weeks. I was still a little hesitant so he was gentle and cautious. I wasn't certain about having taken my pills so Ranger willingly used a condom. Well, two. He used two. Okay. Maybe it was three.

Our need to hold and be held, the connection rising to a crescendo like starving animals in a feeding frenzy, our morning voices raspy from that need. Our bodies still sweaty, the sheets damp and entwined within our legs and arms, I opened my eyes. A bright golden glow filled the room like the dawn of a new day. Ranger was face down, his head in the crook of my neck, his long hair, covering the side of his face and my chest. I stroked his head gently, my fingers still prickly from the memories of where they'd been. He moaned and turned his head to look at me with a smile, his face covered in fold lines from his pillow, his eyes still puffy from sleep.

"Isn't that what started all of this last night?" He glanced at the tangle of bedding.

"I guess so."

"Hmm." He purred as he kissed my cheek working his way down. "I love the smell of your skin in the morning when we've been making love all night. It turns me on all over again."

"Anything turns you on." I kissed the top of his head, his hair still moist.

"That's not true. But you do woman. Damn. You do."

He was inside of me again before I could blink.

After our little foray, we showered and dressed to head out for my appointment with Dr. Troika. Ranger checked the address online so he could enter it on the GPS in the car.

As Ranger and I reached the garage, Les was leaving with a woman. She'd apparently spent the night. Connie looked at us sheepishly but Les was more brazen.

"Hey! Where you headed, cuz?"

Our packed overnight bags had given away our master plan.

"Miami. We're going to see _Abuela_." Ranger added as he took my bag and tossed it in the back seat.

No need to tell anyone about the upcoming doctor's visit.

Connie smiled but continued to check her fingernails for chips.

"Really? About time you two did something together for a change." Les gave me a smile. "Give her my love, would ya?" He directed his last comment at me.

"Maybe you could do it yourself, Les. She's your grandmother too." I teased then sat comfortably and shut my door.

Ranger slid the silver and wooden gear shift lever into reverse. Connie tugged at Les's arm to continue toward the Escalade.

We drove silently except for the innocent comments two strangers might say to each other as they road together on a bus. We were still trying to get to know each other again.

"The sun is coming up earlier now."

"Traffic is lighter than I expected."

"I think that's the exit we should take."

"Is this the right street?

* * *

**Chapter 8: Chapter 8**

* * *

CH –8 - Discussion

Doctor Troika's office was located in an old Victorian manse on a small side street called Maple Lane. Probably because the brick sidewalks were cracked and broken with Maple tree roots.

The three story building doubled as her home and office. Faded turquoise outer walls, with pink and maroon dental trimmed eaves, caught my eye. A wrap around porch with matching filigree, was filled with summery white wicker furniture, chairs, and loveseats and glassed top tables. Now if only there was a beach in her back yard.

Ranger parked about a block from the house.

"Are you okay Steph? You seem very nervous." He turned his head to look at me.

"I know what you're thinking." I said quickly, before he could make his excuses. "You're forcing me to do this and you regret giving me the ultimatum; shit or get off the pot. Now you want to take me back home so I don't have to go in there and face my demons."

"That about sums it up. You really don't have to do this. I'll take you back home. We'll manage."

"No." I made a full turn in my seat. "I have to do this. I know I do. But I admit that I'm more than a little petrified."

He placed his hands on either side of my face.

"You're strong Stephanie. Stronger than you know. You can do this. We can do this together. Like you helped me, let me help you."

"Thank you Ranger. You're still such a good friend to me. A best friend." Our lips met briefly. "Let's get this over with so we can go to Miami and get nagged."

I chuckled.

"Damn. You got that right."

Doctor Troika answered her own door when Ranger tapped the brass knocker shaped like a large letter _D_.

Anna Troika was a very tall thin willowy woman with olive skin. Her hair was a mixture of shades of gray, pulled back behind her ears into a skinny braid at the back of her head, while the rest hung down loosely to her waist. She was wearing a long layered animal print cotton skirt, with tigers and cheetahs accented by fashionably retro high heeled cork soled sandals laced up her calves to her knees with hemp. Her blouse was a worn bleached natural cotton peasant top with a frayed golden ribbon pulling the sides of the open boat neck together. She wore no make-up, and no bra. Dr. Troika was a hippie throwback. She let her half glasses slide to the tip of her nose, peaking above them like Kilroy as she spoke.

"Ah, you must be Stephanie." She took my hand with a firm grip and gave it a gentle shake. Her many bangle bracelets jingled. "Nice to meet you. Come in."

She leaned down and tugged at the red paisley bandana wrapped around the neck of a large golden retriever holding no less than three bright yellow tennis balls in her mouth.

"This is Nutmeg. She's harmless, just nosey." She extended her clean hand to Ranger. "And you must be her husband Ranger. Good of you to come."

They backed from the door into a Victorian style front sitting room filled with antique furniture and piles of books, magazines and periodicals. The walls were covered with sepia toned photos of men and women and children with no smiles, all sitting straight as arrows.

"Family?" I asked as I scanned the broods.

"Most. Yes. Some are just photos of interesting looking people I picked up in antique shops and flea markets over the years." She nudged me gently with her elbow.

Pointing to a very serious looking careworn woman with a large picture hat and fluffy feathers sticking out of the top of it, she said, "My great, great maternal grandmother, Bettina Spinolli."

She then pointed to a photo of a very stern looking man with an undersized shirt, the overly starched collar cutting into his neck. His necktie was crooked and his hat cast a shadow over his wire rimmed eyeglasses. He had a gray handlebar mustache and a beard that hung down hidden below the edge of the gilded oval frame.

"And that's her husband, Antonio, my great, great grandfather. They had twenty two children."

"Wow!"

"My sentiments exactly. Well, you didn't come here to study my family tree. Have a seat. Anywhere at all is fine. Wherever you're comfortable."

Doctor Troika chose a large leather chair behind a golden oak desk with a fleur-de-lis wooden decal on the front. I settled myself on a red velvet Queen Anne style loveseat then ran my fingers over the soft fabric and carved roses on the arm. I rubbed it obsessively almost compulsively.

"Will you be joining us Ranger?"

"Steph?"

I hesitated.

"Let me tell you what I think." Doctor Troika added quickly. "For the fist visit at least, I think it should be just us girls. Stephanie. What do you think?"

"Okay. You're the doctor."

"I'll wait for you in the car."

He leaned to kiss me goodbye and was headed for the door when Dr. Troika spoke again.

"Not necessary."

She pressed a button on a small box I assumed was an intercom. A deep male voice replied.

"Yes."

"Sweetheart?"

"Yes, my dear."

"Mr. Manoso is here to encourage his wife but for the fist visit we're going to exclude him. Could you dust off the pool table and break out the beer?" She smiled at Ranger. "My husband."

"Coming Love."

A tall gray haired pleasant looking man with a sculpted full beard and ponytail, longer than Ranger's, appeared. He was wearing jeans and a dark t-shirt with an obscenity printed in neon, well worn Berks with heavy wool socks on his feet. He walked through the door that led to a very bright room I assumed was the kitchen. From the smell, I'd guessed he was making homemade red sauce with a ton of garlic and oregano. The kind that cooks all day.

"Hi. I'll be your sitter for today. Nutmeg. Get back in the kitchen." Nutmeg trotted off. He extended his hand as the doctor had. "Henry. Henry diNatalie."

"Ranger Manoso. This is my wife Stephanie."

"Pleasure to meet you both."

"Nice to meet you too."

"Okay. Shuffle off you two. We have a lot of work to do to get this lovely woman on the road to recovery."

Ranger waved goodbye as he and Henry headed into the bright light of the kitchen.

"Play any poker? Shoot pool?" Henry asked Ranger.

"Okay Stephanie. Let's get started. I'm sure you want to get this over with and be on your way."

"Will this be my only visit?"

"That's up to you now isn't it?"

She tapped the end of her pen on the green blotter on her desk.

"I guess so."

"Don't sound so excited."

"I'm sorry. I'm really nervous." My hands were sweaty as I tried to ring them dry.

"Ever been to a shrink before?"

"No. Ranger has but I haven't."

"Tut, tut. No talking out of school. Now tell me why you're here."

I was confused.

"I thought you spoke to Doctor Greene?"

"I did, but I need to hear it from you. It's all part of the healing process, Stephanie."

"Okay Doctor Troika. Where do I begin?"

"Anywhere you'd like. And call me Anna if it makes you more comfortable."

I told Anna about how Ranger and I had met and my fears about getting married again and having children with Joe. I told her about the possible miscarriages and false alarms. I told her that Ranger and I talked about having kids and had decided that it wasn't something that either of us were crazy about and that if it happened, it happened and if it didn't, it didn't. Then I told her how Edna Rose's death had knocked me for a loop.

I retold the horrible event of the car crash and how I'd been in a shell until Ranger threatened to handcuff me and take me to Bellevue if I didn't snap out of it and agree to talk to someone. She laughed so hard I thought she was going to fall out of her chair.

"He didn't?"

"Yes, he did."

"Well it worked then, didn't it?" A broad and warm smile lit up her face.

"It sure did."

She dug right in and asked about other family members and their children. How I felt about them. My sister Valerie had a house full of little girls at the time and I loved them dearly but I didn't feel close to them. Ranger's siblings also had children, some quite young, and well, I wasn't very close to them either.

After three hours of pouring out my heart and soul, lots of tears and some laughter, Anna declared me on my way to better mental health. She suggested that we see each other again for a few more sessions but they'd have to wait because she was on her way to Ghana to work in an orphanage for a month. We made a tentative appointment to meet again when she returned.

As Ranger and I headed for the airport for our visit with _Abuela._ I felt a pang of guilt for not telling her the truth, my secret. She'd figure it out soon enough although I sensed that she already had. Only time would tell.

"How'd it go?" Ranger asked cautiously after a long period of silence. "Do you like her? Do you think she can help you?"

"I think it went well but I'm the nut and she holds the nutcracker so who am I to point fingers. I feel she knows what she's doing but I'm not sure that I like her. I don't think if we met socially that I'd invite her to lunch. You know? Do I think she can help me? I don't know. I left my crystal ball at home this morning."

"Will you be going back to see her?"

I held up my appointment card.

"She's on her way to east somewhere for a few weeks but I have an appointment for when she gets back. She said that it's just going to take time until I can deal with it all."

He tapped my thigh.

"I think you're doing better already. I'm very proud of you. This wasn't an easy decision to make. Trust me I now that." He laughed. "I'm the last person to judge you."

Ranger had been there and done that before. Many times.

"Yet you threatened to ship me off to the funny farm." My hands were on my hips.

"Yeah, about that. I'm sorry. I was desperate, Babe. I felt you slipping through my fingers and I had no way of stopping you."

"It's okay. I forgive you, Batman." I glanced over at him with a smile. "Just don't do it again."

* * *

**Chapter 9: Chapter 9**

* * *

CH – 9 -Dispatched

A middle aged woman wearing way too much make-up, in tight dark green dress pants testing the seams and matching vest over a light canary yellow long sleeve cotton shirt, called rows ten through twenty. We stood to get in line to board our plane.

Ranger strained at not taking my backpack from me at first so I fumbled deliberately. I wasn't sure why he'd felt that way until he later told me he still felt a few eggshells under his feet and didn't want to push me too hard. In retrospect, he had probably made the right decision.

"Would you take my bag for me, please?"

"Of course."

He carried both bags masterfully over his shoulder while I slid my hand around his arm. It was like holding my favorite stuffed bunny warmed in the sun.

Once seated comfortably and belted, my headset in place, I snuggled into his arm again as he placed a gentle kiss on the top of my head. I closed my eyes drinking in his quintessence as I drifted off committing to memory the events of that morning. Dreams of times gone past floated weightlessly as though a bystander in the corner of the room watching two soul mates make love under the rustling sheets.

We held hands as we walked from the baggage claim area to one of the many anxious taxis with their trunk lids gaping open like baby chick's mouths waiting to be fed. The older Middle Eastern man at the wheel peeked at us often from the relative safely of his rear view mirror.

Ranger tipped the man handsomely as I waited patiently on the concrete walkway by the rose bush buzzing with bees.

"Should we have waited until morning? It's really late." It was close to _Abuela's_ bedtime if not well past it.

"If I know my grandmother, she's taken a nap and now waiting for us at the door."

Proof positive was once we'd entered through the green metal trimmed glass security doors and Ranger pressed her apartment number. Within seconds, she beamed us up. A sliver of golden light grew exponentially as the small Hispanic woman dressed in a flowered muumuu stood with outstretched arms as we approached. A smile as wide as Kansas showed her darkening teeth.

It didn't seem that long ago that Ranger and I had made the same trip to visit her while he was in a wheelchair due to temporary paralysis caused from severe stress. The result of a military maneuver gone terribly wrong.

"_Mis nietos hermosos_." She called to us as we ran toward her, our bags swinging like upbeat metronomes against our backs and thighs for a three way hug. "_Entrar_. e_ntrar_." she said as she waved us in.

A silver tray of light snacks, and herbal teas awaited us on the coffee table. I was glad that we'd come despite the hour. She would have been terribly disappointed if we hadn't.

Our conversation was comfortable and non committal at first. "How was your flight? What is Lester up to? How is the weather in Trenton? How is Pierre?"

She then turned to me and sent me on the initial wild goose chase of the evening. Apparently Ranger was to be grilled first. Obediently, I walked slowly toward the end of the hallway to check for her damned non-existent mail, but returned within a few minutes. Standing beside the door, leaning lazily against the frame, I checked out the gaudy excuses for artwork adorning the nondescript wall, while wasting time.

I listened before I entered. Apparently the conversation had begun slowly because they were just getting to the meat of it when I returned.

"So what is_ el problema _with Stephanie_?"_

"I don't know exactly."

"She is upset over the loss of her_ nina, si?"_

_"Si. _Of course she is. But we need to move on_ Abuela. She has been in bed for weeks."_ He stood and began to pace.

_"I do not understand. She is not here with you?" Abuela's _tone told of her confusion.

_"I am ashamed to say that I threatened to have her committed if she did not snap out of it."_

"Carlos. Shame on you." She swatted his arm.

_"I know. I am not proud of what I did."_

"I see. The doctor she saw today. He is a, a…?"

"Therapist. Yes.

"He is going to help her, no?"

"I certainly hope so."

"But, she is better today, yes?"

"She seems to be." He glanced at the door wondering if I was behind it listening to his confession. _"I hope this is not an act." _He whispered.

_"Would she do this, your Stephanie? Act as you say?"_

_"I do not know. I am very afraid for her, Abuela. I miss my old Stephanie. I want her to come back."_

_"She will. In time mi nieto."_ Her tiny wrinkled hand reached up and touched his cheek.

"Christ. I hope so."

_"Su languang, mi nieto." _She scolded and tapped the cheek she'd just caressed.

_"Me excus."_

"And you? How are you handling this? The loss of _un inocente_? You do not speak of it."

"I've been so concerned for Stephanie's well being that I haven't had time to mourn properly. I'm sure I'll crash at some point but for now, my focus is on my wife."

_"You are a good husband, Carlos. Like your Abuelo."_

"I'm not so sure about that. Maybe I should have done something for her sooner."

"Can I come in?" I peeked inside as I tapped on the door.

"_Sí, sí, mi hermosa nieta_. Come sit with your Abuela."

"There was no mail, _Abuela_."

"No. Are you sure? Carlos, you go check for me, eh? P_or favor_."

He sighed, tossed a cheese covered cracker in his mouth, then stood.

"You are such a good boy."

Heavy booted feet took to the hallway and the elusive mail box that never seemed to garner any mail.

_"How are you doing my dear?"_ She looked into my eyes as her warm gnarled hands tapped mine.

"Better. I think. I hope. I'm sure your grandson told you, I'm seeing someone. I hope she can help me get my head on straight."

"_Ella_?"

"Yes. My doctor is a woman. Why do you ask?"

_"Can a woman doctor help you with this?"_

_Abuela_ was of a generation where men were the providers and professionals and women were mothers and wives.

"She specializes in women who have lost children either through miscarriages or young deaths."

"Like you?"

"Yes, like me."

"I see. Do you like her, this _mujer medico_?"

"The jury is still out on that. I've only spoken to her once."

"If she does not help you, you come to me. We will talk. _Si?_"

I wondered what _Abuela_ could help me with. Then it occurred to me.

_"Abuela. Did you ever lose a child?"_

Her eyes glistened as she began her tale. "_Si, Estefania."_ She cleared her throat. "_Abuelo_ and I were very _joven_ and very much in love. This was many, many years ago. He was so _guapo_, like your Ranger." She smiled. She seldom called her grandson Ranger. "And charming too, as they say. We were never to be alone in those days in the old country."

She gazed at the ceiling as though _Abuelo_ was there. As though she could see his face through the ceiling tiles and the clouds.

"Not without a, a … _acompañante_. How do you say?"

"A chaperone?"

"_Si, si_. A chaperone. It was not permitted but we would sneak out at night and meet." She giggled like a little girl. "We would kiss and hold hands." She sighed softly at the thought of her long departed husband. "Something else that was not permitted." She waggled her finger in the air. "One night, it led to more. I ran home frightened but too young to understand what we had done could have _consecuencias_. Soon I discovered that I was with child. _Prenada_. Again I was frightened."

She pulled a wadded tissue from the pocket of her nightwear and dabbed at her eyes.

"I could not speak to _mi familia. Mi madre. Mi padre_. They would have _desconocido por todos,_ disowned me. Ricardo and I, we planned to run away. We would be married and bring up our _nino_ together."

_Abuela_ stopped talking. She wiped another tear from her eye.

"But it was not to be. Before we could finalize our plans, I became ill and …"

She couldn't finish. I sat beside her and held her.

"I'm so sorry _Abuela_. I didn't know."

"No one knows. My Ricardo knew and now you. Even my Carlos, he does not know. Do not tell him. I tell you this to help you. _Por favor_, you no tell my _nieto_?"

"I won't. You're secret is safe with me. But _Abuela_, how did you handle it? How can I get past this?"

_"El tiempo, mi nieta. _It will take time. You will see. Soon you will be better. The pain here," She tapped her chest with her fist. "it will not be so bad."

"I hope to be as strong as you one day, _Abuela_." _Abuela_ smiled then kissed my cheek.

Ranger arrived just about that time. _Abuela_ was wiping her eyes again with her head turned toward the open window beside her small TV. Trying to hide. My husband missed nothing.

"_Abuela_. He knelt beside her quickly. "_Estás bien_?" He looked up at me. "What happened?"

"She got something in her eye. A little fruit fly or something. Maybe a mosquito. Come _Abuela_. Let's try to rinse that out."

I helped her to the bathroom where she splashed some cold water on her face.

After we'd said our goodbyes, we headed back to the Miami apartment to spend the night. I'll never know if Ranger heard any or all of our conversation because to this day, he has never mentioned it.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Chapter 10**

* * *

CH – 10 - Detour

The following morning, Ranger was sitting at the breakfast bar sipping his coffee while reading the newspaper that Peggy's husband Marshall had left by the door. I was massaging his shoulders.

"Will we be leaving today?"

"There's nothing keeping us here unless you want to stay another day." He flipped one page, found nothing that interested him, then flipped to another.

"I suppose we should go home and start working on getting our lives back on track."

"We could do that from here." He smiled a gentle wolf like smile as he took my hand from his shoulder, kissed my palm then turned fully and pulled me into his embrace. "I have an idea. Let's spend the day here, then head out to Atlanta tomorrow. It's nearly time to do reviews plus I have a few things I want to look into. They're a little shorthanded at the moment now that they've acquired the contract for the state prison, so we could help with the interviews. "

The prison contract wasn't particularly lucrative moneywise, but it could lead to more.

"Okay, but what would we do here all day today?" I asked innocently. Unable to hide the desire in my face.

"Oh. I have no doubt we'll think of something constructive to do."

And we did.

A few hours later, we rearranged our flight home with that stop in Atlanta. What better time to get those reviews out of the way, albeit a little early.

We spent most of the next day in Atlanta doing said reviews and interviews separately planning on going over them together on the plane ride back that night. I wanted an excuse to stay away from the influence of our friends and relatives in Trenton just a little bit longer. Plus, I wanted Ranger all to myself.

We were gathering our papers into manila file folders and about to stuff them into the briefcase I'd taken with me.

"Ranger do you really think we should be discussing these reviews on the plane in public. I know we can both be discreet but had it occurred to you that someone on the plane might know one of your employees?"

"Actually I had thought of that. I wondered if you'd consider staying overnight again." He said cautiously still not looking at me. "We could work on it this evening and have a late dinner perhaps. Leave tomorrow instead?"

He was no more interested in heading home than I was.

"Sure. I'm okay with that. We'd be more at ease and not rushed."

"I agree. So we don't have to rush out of here then. I'll cancel our flight and rebook for tomorrow."

"Good idea."

We headed to the elevator that led to the penthouse, standing quietly and comfortably together in the lift. I snuck a peek and he did the same. The elevator door opened and Ranger unlocked the apartment door then carried the papers over to the kitchen table.

The Atlanta office was much smaller than the other units, as the building had been a tenement building and not a factory building like the Trenton, Boston and Miami offices. The apartment's open floor plan was similar to the others as the walls had been torn out yet there was no space for a dining room and the office was in the enclosed back stairway off of the living room. If the Miami apartment was my favorite, the Atlanta office was my least favorite.

"Do you want to work out here in the kitchen? I think we'd have more room."

"I'll get the laptop out of the office."

"Maybe we should work in the office after all." I suggested. "The scanner is out there."

"Doesn't matter to me. We can't scan anything until we're done so..."

I decided that the office would be more cozy.

"Office?" I pointed.

"Office it is."

Together we gathered the files from the table and took them to the small office. Ranger took his chair and I pulled up the other chair to sit beside him. We worked amicably and surprisingly comfortably throughout the evening.

"Done." I declared as the last scanned document had been filed in both the paper files and the electronic files.

"Hungry?"

"Starved. You?"

"Where would you like to go?" I walked out into the living room area toward the kitchen as Ranger locked up the office.

"I'd like to go to the diner down the street, if you don't mind. I'm tired. I'd like to get to bed early."

"Sounds like a plan. We haven't been there in a while."

It had rained and the steam from the drying pavement rose in smoky ribbons, the humidity curling the fringes of my hair that hung around my face into ringlets. Ranger tugged at one as he always had and smiled.

The diner was fairly empty. It was just after nine and locals had all headed to more exciting grounds. Music and laughter hung heavily in the air across the street at Rosanna's Bar and Grille.

JB's was a small local dive with worn black and white floor tiles and rickety wooden tables and chairs. Juan and Bonita Santivanez, Peruvian immigrants, served primarily fast food, burgers, dogs and fries for the local teens but they also had a daily special or two for the parents and tourists.

The table in the corner, where we'd had dinner many times over the years was empty and called to us like a long lost friend. I slid my chair beside the man of my dreams as I surveyed the 'Today's Special' menu on the whiteboard above the pass through. Juan, the elderly cook and owner stood pressing a hamburger with all of his strength, into a former image of itself. His wife Bonita approached. Her hair net lay askew over fuzzy gray fringe. Bonita smiled a tired smile then lit up like neon when she recognized us.

"_Senor y Senora Manoso_. It ees so good to see you again." She tapped Ranger's cheek then pinched it gently with her boney hand and paper thin transparent skin. The veins mapping the way to her crooked fingers. "You eat tonight, yes? No _salad por favor, eh_?"

She knew my husband very well.

"We eat tonight, Bonita. _Como__ usted?"_ Ranger said with a smile.

_"Bien. Bien_. But, tired. I work too much hours. Juan," She looked at her husband wipe his brow with a stained towel he'd taken from the rack beside the pass through. "He too work too much hours."

"Maybe it's time to sell and retire." I suggested.

"No no. I complain but this is our life." She wiped her hand on her apron. "What you like tonight?"

"Steph?"

"You don't have any lamb left tonight, do you?" I asked hopefully.

Juan made the absolutely best lamb kebobs on the planet. Just the thought that they might be out made me as nervous as a cat in a room full of old ladies in rocking chairs.

"_Juan_." she called out to the man at the grill. _"__Hay algun__cordero de__la izquierda__?"_

_"Si, si."_

"Great. Lamb kebobs and yellow rice, please."

"And you? Yes. Yes. I know. _Muchos Verduras."_

Ranger nodded his approval of my choice. "The same."

"I get for you. _Cerveza, vino?" _She offered then placed her hand on Ranger's shoulder, possibly for support.

"Yes, some wine, I think." Again he looked to me for my approval. "A carafe please, Bonita. We're walking."

"_Gracias_."

Bonita toddled off then returned in a heartbeat with a cold clear glass bottle of greenish yellow wine she'd taken from the back of the soda cooler. Ranger filled the empty water glasses from a weathered steel jug he'd taken from the cooler behind him.

"Wine, Ranger? What are we celebrating?" I asked as Bonita pushed through one of the swinging doors that let into the kitchen.

He continued to pour then took a breath before he looked at me. "We got all of the reviews done and we haven't argued all day." Then more to himself than me. "For the first time in weeks, no arguing."

My left hand on his, I gave it a squeeze as I lifted my glass with my right. Our glasses clicked. "To no arguments for one whole day. May there be many more." The rim of his glass covered the smile he'd hidden behind it.

Bonita arrived with a small salad for each of us consisting of a fresh greens and thumb size chunks of vegetables with a light olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. It kept us busy until our dinners arrived.

Juan carried a platter of steaming yellow rice dotted with skewered lamb kebobs, grilled zucchini, peppers, onions and summer squash. Bonita placed worn, chipped china and silverware in front of us.

"Good?" Juan asked as a crusty piece of moist and succulent lamb squished between my teeth.

_"__Maravilloso__." _

It was difficult to speak without letting the juices run down my chin.

"Excellent Juan. As always." Ranger added. The Santiavenez's beamed warm and loving grins as Bonita removed four clean glasses and 4 sets of silverware wrapped in a paper napkin from the tra beside us and Juan returned to the kitchen humming to a song playing softly from the speakers in the dust and web covered corners of the ceiling. I'd heard the tune played at the Manoso's. No! I'd heard it at our wedding reception so many years ago. We'd danced to it. I loved the song then and again that night. I closed my eyes.

"Sound familiar?" Ranger asked.

I nodded pretending my mouth was full, too frightened to cry if I opened it to speak.

Our meal complete, Ranger wiped his mouth with his napkin. "Ready to go?"

"Yup." Our time together had been so pleasant I didn't want it to end. "I'd like to go for a walk. Do you mind?"

Ranger placed a few bills on the table leaving a generous tip. We waved goodbye to our hosts and walked out the door.

"I thought you were tired and wanted to get back?"

"I rested. I guess I'm not tired anymore. Do you mind?"

"This isn't exactly a very great neighborhood for a walk, Steph."

"Well. How about the beach?"

"The Beach? If that's what you'd like. Do you remember the way?"

"I was hoping..."

"Would you like me to take you?" He smiled. I tended to get lost in a paper bag and he knew it. Atlanta's roads had always been confusing to me.

I touched his arm. "I thought you might want to walk with me."

"Are you sure?"

"It'll be fun. Sand between your toes, then in your shoes. Frozen ankles, soggy pants legs."

He chuckled as we headed toward the Rangemen parking garage.

"Do you need anything?"

"You mean like sunglasses? No. I'm good."

"I wasn't thinking sunglasses. It's dark out."

"You mean like a swim suit? It's too cold to go swimming besides, we could go skinny dipping if the urge overtook us."

"You don't skinny dip. Fish. Remember?"

I swatted playfully at this arm. He was never going to let me forget about the first time we'd gone skinny dipping together at the Sonesta in Miami and my ridiculous fear of fish in the water in… well… tight and confined personal spaces.

"And Babe?"

"Yeah?"

"There's no beach here in Atlanta. Miami, yes. Atlanta, no. Still want go to the beach?"

He laughed. For the first time in what seemed like a century, he laughed. We were going to get through this, together. Nothing would ever come between us again.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Chapter 11**

* * *

CH – 11 - The Daniels

Fairly uneventful months had passed after the accident that took our baby's life sending me into a tailspin that I was nearly unable to recover from, but things were finally looking up. I was seeing Dr. Troika on a fairly regular basis. I was healing. At least I'd convinced myself and everyone around me that I was. We had even started talking about starting a family again. The mere thought of it frightened me but forty was just around the corner for both of us. It was now or never. Do or die.

We were about to leave Ranger's office to pick up another new Turbo when Ranger's phone rang. He should have let it go to voice mail then deleted the damned message.

"Shit! Sorry Babe. I should get this. Give me a minute and we'll go."

"Okay. I'll make a quick pit stop and be right back." I headed for the bathroom as I heard Ranger speak.

"Rangemen. Manoso speaking."

I tended to business then washed my hands, checked my make-up, and brushed my hair. Ranger was still on the phone when I returned to his office across from the elevator so I took a seat on the black leather sofa as he flashed me a sign that he'd be occupied for a few more minutes.

As I sat, I decided that the dark green office walls were due for a new coat of paint and the pictures of Julie and our families should be updated. Copper colored frames might be more appropriate next time around.

Ranger called the man Lawrence as he filled out the intricate new business form I'd created some years back to minimize mistakes and call-backs. Curious, I stood beside him so he turned the form enabling me to read it.

The man's name was Lawrence Daniels and his wife's name was Olivia. They lived in a city called New Brunswick, a very exclusive golfing community. Ranger had attended Rutgers University there for a short period just before he enlisted in the army. I knew it to be half way between Trenton and Newark. About a half to three quarters of an hour drive, depending on traffic.

According to the notes he'd taken, their home was a two-story ten thousand square foot older antique colonial and had no working security system whatsoever.

The couple was looking for someone to come out to give them a quote on everything from monitored security cameras to electric fencing for their guard dogs. They didn't actually have any dogs yet, but they were in their plans.

As I watched more detailed data appear on the form, I wondered why the caller hadn't been directed to me instead of Ranger. I'd taken on a much larger roll within Rangemen since Ranger and I married several years before. I still did the occasional distraction job but little bounty hunting which had supplemented my coffers back when I was still single and poor as a church mouse. Lula, my best friend in crime, had taken over those duties for me and had actually become quite good at it although sitting on skips to handcuff them was cheating in my book. Lula was a very big girl.

It was hard to believe it had been that long since we'd tied the knot, what with the injuries and illnesses we'd both suffered. But we'd been through so much, time had flown by quickly as we approached number five.

Anyway, in order to free up Ranger's valuable time, I was the goto person for quote preparations. It was my job to make the initial contact, get the facts over the phone with my handy dandy little form, then go out to the site with someone else for specifics like measurements. It was especially important when there was a woman involved.

All of the guys were much more qualified than I would ever dream to be because I didn't really understand the mechanics of the systems but most women, although very attracted to the handsome men Ranger hired, could also be intimidated by them, especially Hector. I loved him like a brother but there were times when he scared the shit out of me too.

Plus it allowed the guys an out if the women were only interested in a date on an afternoon 'snack'.

"Of course Lawrence. I'll get together with my team and set up a time when it would be most convenient for both you and your wife. - Not a problem. Talk to you soon."

"Who was that?"

Ranger sat back in his chair and swiveled it side to side with a huge grin on his face. "Guess?" He pulled me onto his lap.

I pointed to the form. "Lawrence Daniels. I can see that. Who is he? Somebody important?"

"Lawrence Daniels and his wife," he looked at the form, "Olivia Daniels live in a manse they just purchased in New Brunswick. They own the Pfizer building in Newark, the Meadowbrook Industrial Park near Mercer and the Jackson Hotel building in Jackson." He ticked off on his fingers. "Just the buildings, not the businesses. They have several other buildings they also own and lease out all along the I-95 corridor. Plus they own a handful of exclusive high priced apartment buildings in Monroe Township and Old Bridge just this side of New York."

With a house that size and all of the other properties they owned, the monthly monitoring income alone would allow us to take a badly deserved and overdue vacation. I loved to travel and I'd become especially fond of the islands: St Thomas, Nassau, Bimini, Grand Bahama. I was more than willing to suffer a few extra hours working to acquire a new account for the sake of a few fun filled days in the sun.

"Is this the big account you were talking to Tank about a few months ago?"

"It most certainly is. They've been away, apparently."

"Wow! Very impressive. Are they looking to install security systems in all those building? You're going to have to hire a whole new crew to take care of all of that."

"Yes ma'am. Some of the buildings have no security at all." A tapping finger showed me the spot where that info was circled. "Some already have systems but they need updating. They'll all require monitoring. This could be huge Babe. Huge." He raised his arms and stretched them as far as he could. I slid off of his lap and stood beside him.

"I have a question."

Ranger pulled a blank manila folder from the lower left hand drawer, slid the form inside, wrote 'Daniels' on the label then tucked it under his arm.

"What, Babe?"

Once his office door was locked, he took my hand as we headed for the elevator.

"Why didn't I get the call? Isn't that my job?"

"It is but he asked for me personally. Apparently we'd done some work for someone at the country club he and his wife belong to and they suggested that he call me personally."

"The country club? New Brunswick Country Club? Really? Who was it?"

I was excited that someone felt comfortable enough with the work Rangemen had done for them to refer us to people like the Daniels.

"He didn't say. It was a friend of his wife's apparently."

"Really. Hmm."

"Let's go get our new toy. We can drive around the area a little and see some of the properties we might be securing on the way. Okay with you?" He leaned in for a kiss. "I'll even take you out to _Mateo's_ if you behave." He sang out as he nuzzled my ear.

"Deal."

My absolutely most favorite Cuban restaurant, _Mateo's_, was located just outside Newark. I'd become quite enamored of Cuban fare. Ranger's mom and his _Abuela_ had taught me how to cook lots of Cuban dishes. I was actually getting to be a pretty good cook. Not great mind you, but pretty good as long as I followed the recipes. No ad-libbing or getting creative was aloud.

Ranger spoke to Hector who was sitting bleary eyed behind a monitor at the control desk before we left to tell him where we were going and when we were expected back.

Off we dashed in search of more trouble.

The sun was bright and hotter than hell as we headed out. Through my shades, the road appeared hazy as though warped while we sped across the searing pavement. I was grateful for tinted windows and the blasting A/C.

Once we'd arrived at the Newark Porsche dealer, Ranger checked out his new plaything. We took it for a short spin then handed the old gentleman named Roberto Pulcinelli, or Berto as we called him, a check for the balance due. He took the keys to the loaner car we'd had for the last few months when Ranger and I had originally placed our order. Ranger might have kept the Turbo loaner, it was a fabulous vehicle, it had all of the bells and whistles you could think of but it was silver, not black and we all know how the colonel feels about the color of his cars.

Heavy summer rain clouds suddenly filled the sky and hid the sun behind its darkening blanket. A sign that the sun would set early that night. I heard thunder and saw flashes of lightning in the distance.

After a combination late lunch and early dinner at the quaint little Cuban restaurant, _Mateo's_, we drove back looking for some of the buildings that Lawrence Daniels had mentioned just off I-95.

They weren't all exactly as described. At least not on the outside. Even through the pouring rain and darkness, we could tell that they were unquestionably dilapidated and seriously in need of repair and security considering the sketchy neighborhoods some of them were in. We made copious notes on the new iPad I'd learned to use and carry in my bag. It was much lighter and easier to use than my laptop. Ranger would take up any issues he had with the team after the initial inspections. We'd meet with Lawrence to discuss those issues after that.

I was finishing up the last of my notes when Ranger took a small detour down a dirt road just a few miles from home.

"Where are we going? We're almost home."

Ranger pulled to side of the road, dialed the A/C up to the highest setting and tuned the radio to a Latin station. The same station that we'd play in the living room after dinner to dance to and then, well, more. He turned in his seat and looked at me with that wolf grin I'd seen many, many times before. The one that made me fray at the seams.

"We're going to baptize the new car." He said as he slid his seat all the way back then laid it flat.

I had no idea that new car windows could fog up that quickly especially with the air conditioning running on high.

He held my hand all the way home even using it as a shifting aid rather than let it go.

At the weekly 9AM meeting in the conference room the following Monday morning, Ranger went over the prospective new client's needs with the team. Suggestions and questions abounded.

The appointment was made with the Daniels, so first thing on Thursday morning, Ranger, Les, Hector, Manny and Vince headed out to meet with Lawrence Daniels and his wife. I normally tagged along when there was a little Missus involved but Ranger said he didn't think it was necessary that time as Olivia, Mrs. Daniels, was playing in a charity golf tournament where they were members so she wouldn't be there anyway. Actually I wasn't feeling very well. It was almost that time of the month so I conceded and went to Vinnie's to see my girls Lula and Connie for lunch then spent the afternoon doing searches and paying bills.

It was nearly eleven that night when Ranger finally called and said that they weren't able to see every building and that he'd be home sometime Friday. He sounded tired.

That Friday was our wedding anniversary but Ranger made no mention of it. I surmised he might try to surprise me with something special so I remained tight-lipped.

The following morning I got up, showered then dressed and headed to my office expecting to find flowers on my desk, but my office door was still locked and there was nothing there. The conference and lunch rooms netted the same negative results although Ella, Ranger's aunt and our housekeeper hugged me and wished me a happy anniversary when she passed me in the hallway on my way to the bathroom. This brought on a shower of well wishes from the guys still on duty but nothing from my husband.

I remembered back to our first anniversary. It was a tough year. Ranger had been away most of that year on a mission and returned very ill yet he'd still managed to fill the apartment with roses and planned a special breakfast on the rooftop patio. I still smile at his resourcefulness.

Most of that morning was spent checking my phone for messages and peeking down the hallway for any sign of my husband. I even went so far as to go to the parking garage twice. Still nothing. I had lunch alone at my desk afraid to miss his call but when I hadn't heard from him by dinnertime, I went up to our apartment and grabbed a dish of ice cream covered in chocolate sauce. I stuck a candle in it. Lit it. Sang a very sad rendition of 'Happy Anniversary to me' then blew it out although my tears could have done the job just as well. By 9PM, I went to bed and tossed and turned until the phone rang around ten.

"I'll be home in ten minutes."

"Okay." Then he hung up. No 'How are you feeling? No 'Happy Anniversary'. No 'sorry I haven't been able to call'. And no 'I love you'.

Ten minutes on the nose, he walked through the door quietly removing his boots leaving them by the credenza where he'd dropped his keys. He tiptoed into the bedroom without a word then went directly into the bathroom and shut the door. I heard the shower water run so I got up.

"Ranger?"

"Jesus." He screamed. "You scared the shit out of me. Why are you still up?"

"You called me ten minutes ago and told me you were on your way. Why wouldn't I wait up for you?" I crossed my arms across my chest. "How was it? Do you think we can do it?"

Steam billowed from above the mottled sliding glass door and across the ceiling like squirrels running along a roofline.

"Do what?" He asked as the water pounded on his head and his back.

"The job Ranger. For the Daniels? You've been gone for two days. What do you think I'm talking about?"

"Can we talk about this tomorrow? I'm exhausted." I approached the shower and slid the slider to the side as my robe fell to the floor. "Steph, shut the door. The floor's going to get soaked."

"Can't I get in with you? I'll wash your back." I tugged at the door again.

"Not tonight."

As he slid the door shut again, I noticed scratches on his back.

"What's that?" I yanked at the door and stuck my foot in the track to stop him from shutting it again.

"What's what?" He said as he turned his back to the wall.

"Those scratches on your back. Let me see that."

I tried to twirl him around as he turned the knobs and the water stopped running.

"What scratches?" He spun around like a dog chasing its tail.

"Ranger. Your back is covered in scratches. What happened?"

"I don't know. I was crawling around under stuff. I must have scratched it on protruding nails or something. It's no big deal. I can't even feel it." I handed him his towel from the handle on the shower door. "Thanks Babe."

Picking up his shirt from the floor, I checked for rips or tears. There was nothing wrong with his shirt. I must have looked suspicious or angry because he said, "What are you trying to say, Stephanie?"

"Nothing Ranger. I'm just confused. You've been gone for two days without a word and you come home cranky with scratches on your back."

He pulled the towel away from the tangle of wet hair on his head before he spoke.

"First of all, I've been gone for a day and a half, not two days. And I called you twice, if you remember correctly. I can't explain why my shirt didn't tear when I scratched my back and if I'm cranky, I'm sorry but I'm tired. I've been working non-stop on a large account to hopefully earn enough money to …"

"To what? Cover me in diamonds? Take me abroad? Buy me a new car maybe? P-lease."

"Steph look. I'm sorry. Can we please talk about this tomorrow? I'm exhausted."

"No problem." I turned on my heels then hit the sack.

Once we were in bed, he lay on his back beside me, with my head on his shoulder, I ran my fingers through the dark curls on his chest then 'yellow page' walked down further south. He grabbed my hand.

"Not tonight. I'm too tired."

"Don't I at least get a kiss goodnight?" I thought for sure I'd get him with a kiss.

He kissed my cheek, "Night." then turned abruptly onto his side.

"Fine."

Angry, I bounced in the bed as I turned onto my side then yanked at the blankets. With the covers pulled up to my neck, I curled up into a tight ball. My tears fell silently as we both drifted off.

Seldom if ever had we fallen asleep at night without a decent cuddle or at least tangle our legs and arms together. At one point during the night I woke and turned to find that Ranger was still on his side with his back to me. I took that opportunity to check out the scratches on his back.

I tried to picture him crawling under floor rafters with overhead nails sticking out, gouging into his flesh, and not lying under some woman with her fingernails digging into his back. There was no reason to suspect that anything sordid had occurred. I had no cause to mistrust my husband but I had to admit that something was niggling at my brain and wouldn't let go.

* * *

**Chapter 12: Chapter 12**

* * *

CH – 12 - Discussion

The following morning, after a very restless night, I reached out across the sheets to find Ranger gone yet I felt his presence in the room. Lifting my head from my pillow, I saw that he was sitting in his chair in the corner of the room, his hands laced behind his head resting up again the pale beige wall behind him.

"Ranger?"

I called softly unsure if he was awake or sleeping because his eyes were closed. I had to assume that he hadn't slept any better than I had. He sat up quickly at the sound of my voice.

"Babe. You're awake." His tone was light and he was smiling cautiously as he stood then approached me. He sat gingerly on the edge of the bed beside me so I scooted over giving him more space. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Some. You?"

"Some."

He dropped his head then folded his hands in his lap before he spoke again.

"Steph I did something horrible yesterday. Something that I promised I'd never do to you. Something that you don't deserve. I hurt you and I'm very sorry." He continued. "How can I possibly make it up to you?"

"What did you do? It can't be that bad." I said showing much more forgiveness that I actually felt.

"I'm embarrassed to say that I forgot our anniversary yesterday. I put work above you. Above your needs. I was so absorbed by the prospect of this new account and the money it would afford Rangemen that I neglected you. Stephanie, I'm so sorry. I've been awake most of the night trying to think of ways to make this up to you. I can't undo the wrong I've done but please understand how repentant I am."

I reached for his cheek touching it gently as he took my hand and held it tightly after placing kisses on my palm.

"Is that why you were so cranky last night?"

"Yes. I realized it when I was entering some measurements into my laptop. I was checking the time. I wanted to get home, then I noticed the date. I'd made reservations for dinner and overnight at the inn you liked so much at the shore. _The Ocean View._ Remember it? The big white Victorian with blue trim and a wrap around porch overlooking the ocean? We had lunch there a few months back. You talked about it all the way home. Said you wanted to spend the night there sometime. I called and made arrangements as soon as we got back that day. I'm sorry I messed up so badly."

"That's okay. I forgive you. Can you call them and see if we can go tonight instead?"

With a hesitant smile he asked. "You'd be okay with that?"

"Of course. It's only one day."

"Thank you. I'll make it worth the wait." He leaned over for a bone melting, toe curling kiss. I felt my night clothes burst into flames as his boxers hit the floor.

"Happy anniversary, my Love."

An hour or so later I was still breathing but only barely. I rolled out of bed and headed for the shower as Ranger headed to the gym.

"I'll be down in about a half hour to work on some searches."

"Don't rush. I'm going to get some running time in, then a quick shower. Meet me in the conference room in about an hour. I want you to go over my notes with me before we meet with the team to see if you find any loopholes, inconsistencies."

"Loopholes?"

"Yeah. I don't think we're going to want to do this. Something's not right but I can't put my finger on it yet."

"Okay. See you later then."

"I'll call the inn too. Hopefully we can get a room for tonight. Love you."

He pulled on the apartment door.

"Love you too."

With a lighter heart, I showered and dressed then filled my belly with breakfast. Ranger hadn't eaten. Strange. He wasn't a big eater but breakfast was always an important meal for him. Maybe he was still upset about forgetting our anniversary.

A little more than an hour later Ranger was still pounding the treadmill deep in thought. Rain covered the windows in sheets as the tops of the trees waved at those of us brave enough to watch.

"Hey. I thought we were meeting in the conference room before the guys showed up?"

He slid his buds from his ears as the sweat ran down his face and bare chest. His running shorts were soaked and sticking to his skin.

"Sorry. I wasn't paying attention to the time. Give me five minutes to clean up. Get the crew together. I'll meet you there."

I was lightly bussed on the forehead as he hit the deck running toward the showers.

Five minutes later Tank, Les, Vince, Hector, Manny, a wet Ranger and I sat at the dark rectangular table in the conference room with a coffee cup in one hand, a computer mouse or pen, in the other. A few of the day crew on duty joined us as sounding boards. Laptops glowed as faint blue light reflected on our Smurf like faces. Chairs rolled with gentle squeaks on the dark carpeting. The new guy Carl was there too. He'd actually been with us since just before the accident.

Dr. Greene, the psychiatrist who'd treated Ranger for those awful headaches and paralysis a while ago, called him one day with a special request.

Having been military and severely injured during his last tour of duty, finding no help available, he decided to specialize in the mental health of veterans. An amputee in a wheelchair himself, he had a soft spot for his fellow 'damaged but not broken' soldiers. A young man who'd lost the use of both of his legs but not his mind had come to him for help in dealing with his new life.

Carl Lamont was sitting in his wheelchair waiting for his appointment when Ranger arrived for his annual check-up. It was actually more of a "_Hi. How are you doing? Let's do lunch_." kind of appointment for him. Carl was asked to join them.

Ranger had arrived early to interview Carl. He had a lot of knowledge and experience with explosives and computers according to his resume and military records. Les and Hal worked primarily on the systems and all the guys took turns on monitor duty but Carl could fill a much needed position freeing up the others to get back into the field, where they were happiest. Where they belonged.

Although he couldn't go out on jobs, he could certainly sit at a desk and work on computer issues and monitor duty. He'd had trouble finding a real job with decent pay and benefits and had no family to turn to for help. He was an only child and his parent had died in a freak car accident just before he returned stateside.

Carl had the required credentials and Dr. Greene's seal of approval. Ranger hired him on the spot. He took an apartment on the fourth floor and quickly became a worthy employee. He fit right in. They guys all loved him.

The team was settling in when Les whispered something to Ranger and received eye daggers in response. They're cousins and although a loyal and trustworthy employee, Les had a way of pushing Ranger's buttons with just a look. I let it go. I'd seen it too many times over the years. Ranger cleared his throat and appeared out of sorts that I attributed to his lack of sleep.

"Morning everyone." He shuffled some papers and chose a few. "Shit. I need copies to pass around."

"Got it." Carl said as he took the folder from Ranger then rolled to the other end of the room and cranked up the copier.

"Sorry about the past two days. I should have been better prepared. Everyone will get an extra day off with pay to compensate for the long hours you put in as soon as we get this account squared away. Be sure to submit your receipts for any expenses you incurred to Steph for reimbursement. I took care of the hotel bill and the hotel meals, but if there's anything else, just talk to Stephanie. Hector. Be sure to give Steph the receipt for the jeans you had to buy when you tore your pants crawling around in the attic." He looked at me. "Would you do that for Hector, Babe?"

Carl passed around the warm photocopies of the spreadsheet Ranger had created including all of the building particulars. There were ten buildings in all. Each city or town was listed along with the street address, square footage, usage or occupancy, number of floors and needs. It was easy to see how much time he'd spent gathering and recording this information. He'd have had little time to do anything else. I was sure of it. After two hours and a few heated exchanges, we broke for lunch. Ranger had something on his mind.

"Ranger?"

I tipped my head to catch his empty eyes that seemed locked on the salad that he picked at as it sat helplessly in front of him. Les interrupted and addressed his comments to both of us.

"It's none of my business but like I said, I think you should bow out before it's too late. This account is going to cause trouble you can't handle, Ranger. You know that." He said without looking directly at me. "Step aside. Let it go. It isn't worth it."

"You're right Les. It's none of your business." Ranger barked just before he filled his mouth with greens.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." He tipped an imaginary hat. "Steph." He said looking at me and walked away joining a few other guys that were joking and making crude remarks about some woman one of them had slept with the week before.

"What's he talking about?"

The roast beef sandwich I bit into was sweet and juicy with just a touch of garlic and a creamy horse radish dressing slathered between two fresh dark slices of pumpernickel bread.

He swallowed then took a sip of water from the tall clear plastic bottle in his left hand.

"He's probably right, the arrogant bastard."

"What do you mean?"

Ranger wiped a drip of dressing from my lips with his napkin just before I stole a sip of his water.

"I don't like it. Something's wrong. Something's off." He poked at the red tomato wedge on the edge of his plate. "I know I should just walk away but it would mean a lot of income to the company. The guys all deserve raises. It would be the boost we need to grow. I could hire a few more men. Expand. Maybe even justify buying the building next door. We could have a bigger apartment."

"Is it really worth it? We don't need a bigger place. We have plenty of room now."

He pushed his unfinished lunch to the center of the table.

"Steph, it's just a feeling. How can I go back to Lawrence and say, 'Great account but I'm not interested because my gut is telling me something is off? I don't trust you or your wife.' I can't do that. Hell. Maybe I'm spooked for nothing."

"How about if I talk to him?"

I rolled the empty paper sandwich wrapping into a ball and tossed it across the room toward the recycling bin but missed. Manny picked it up without a word then dropped it into the big blue waste receptacle.

"Maybe."

"Have you met his wife yet? What's her name? Olivia right?"

He shot me a glare with a slight hesitation before he answered. "No. I didn't meet with her. I told you that."

"Well, maybe I should meet with her."

I took a bite out of one of the green apples in the glass bowl on the table then offered it to Ranger but he refused.

"No definitely not."

"Why not?"

His chair squeaked as he pushed it back.

"She's a snob. You won't like her."

"How do you know that? You just said you never met her."

"I … I saw her when she got home that first night but never actually spoke to her in person. Lawrence called her on the intercom and I heard the way she spoke to him."

"So what? I don't have to like her. I'm a Burg girl. I can be just as full of bullshit as she can."

"I'll think about it." He took my hand. "Let's go make some reservations for a belated anniversary dinner."

Once back in his office, with the hunter green walls, I sat on his lap as he reached for his phone. It rang before he picked it up.

"Shit. Can't I get five minutes peace?" Pressing the speaker button he began. "Rangemen, Manoso speaking."

A woman spoke. A voice I'd never heard. Ranger bristled.

"Rick darling. I'm sorry we didn't get to spend more time together the other night. You left in such a hurry."

"Excuse me? Who is this?"

"Olivia. Olivia Daniels. Silly Ricky."

"Oh Mrs. Daniels. I was just talking to my wife about you. Wasn't I Steph?" He said awkwardly.

"Oh. I see." She paused for effect. "Your wife is with you? Did I punch in the wrong number, Ricky?"

"Ricky?" I mouthed.

"My phone is on speaker phone. Stephanie. This is Mrs. Daniels."

I jumped right in with both feet right up to my neck. I wanted to know why this woman made Ranger so nervous and why she was calling him Ricky. What did she mean by punching in the wrong number? Had he given her his private cell phone number? If so, why?

"Hello Olivia, if I may. Nice to meet you. What do you think of my husband and his team?"

"Oh I think he's wonderful and his team as you call them. Mmm. Very nice. Will Lawrence and I be seeing you at dinner tonight, Rick?"

I guessed she thought that I'd left the room.

"Excuse me? Dinner? Tonight? No. I told …"

I looked at Ranger as he rubbed his eyes with his forefinger and thumb.

"Yes. That's why I'm calling. I mentioned dinner to you last night and you said you'd get back to me after you checked with the little missus. I know it's still early but I hadn't heard from you and the club fills up quickly on Saturday night so I thought I'd check in so I can reserve us a nice table overlooking the putting green."

"I'm sorry Mrs. Daniels but I haven't even discussed it with Stephanie. We have other plans. It's our anniversary and we were…"

"Even better. We'll make a night of it. I'll order a cake and champagne and invite some friends. We'll have a marvelous time. See you at seven?"

"Mrs. Daniels. I told you we have other plans." He looked at me with desperation.

"Nonsense Ricky. Stephanie dear. Get all gussied up now. Can you do that? I'm sure you can find something appropriate to wear. See you at seven_. Au revoir." _

Click.

"Fuck." He punched the red button a little harder than necessary.

"Ranger? You said you never spoke to her."

"I ... Lawrence invited us to dinner. I didn't bother to tell you because I had made other plans and I really don't like socializing with clients. It's not a good idea."

I backed away from the desk as Ranger moved toward the front of his office near the door.

"Why is she calling you Ricky?"

"Lawrence did the same thing. Since my name is Ricardo I guess they just assumed I went by Rick. I used to be called Ricky when I was little in grade school, but it was usually Carlos after that until I took on the nickname Ranger while I was in the service. You know all that."

"Hmm. More blackmail info." I tapped my finger to my temple as he chuckled. "Well I guess we have dinner plans with the Daniels tonight. I best go git gussied up then, hadn't I John-Boy? Or Should I call you Ricky?"

"Steph. I'm sorry. She's…pushy. I'll call her back and tell her 'no'."

He reached for the phone.

"No problem. Let them pay for our anniversary dinner and we'll go out alone another night. Besides, it'll give me a change to get to know them better. I can tell you what I think of them. If they're legit or not. Let Spidey take over."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." I leaned in for kiss. "Now. It's Sa'day night. Bath night. Gotta stah't heatin' up the watah'."

I laughed but Ranger looked pained.

"Steph. You're nuts. I still don't think this is a good idea."

"Yep. I sho' is." I did a great Grand Pappy Amos walk out of Ranger's office then stopped. "It's going to be fine Ranger. You'll see." How wrong I was.

I had called Lula right after lunch so she and I went shopping for new duds. That was something that had previously frightened Ranger considering the way Lula usually dressed in bright colors or outrageous prints made of spandex stretched to the max. But Lula always proved his fears were unfounded when I'd return with colorful yet conservative outfits that seemed to fit my personality.

That time we chose a simple raspberry colored satin sheath with silver accessories including shiny silver heeled sandals. I pulled my hair back with a new rhinestone clip and added some crystal earrings that Ranger immediately exchanged for his diamond earrings.

"You look beautiful tonight and I'm proud to have you with me but I'd prefer that you wear the diamonds. Please."

How could I resist?

At seven o'clock on the nose, we walked through the glass revolving doors of the New Brunswick Country Club where we meandered up to the main desk and announced ourselves. We were greeted by an elderly gentleman, named Charles according to the badge on his chest.

He was dressed in a very expensive black wool suit with a crisp white shirt and an ugly dark green necktie dotted with white and gold golf tees. He asked us to wait in the lobby.

The lobby was small but tastefully done if you're into greens. Lots and lots of shades of greens. The rug was a dark hunter green Oriental rug with a tan, gold and maroon curvilinear medallion design. The walls were more of a mint green and the furniture, the chairs and loveseat, were covered in dark pine green leather with a rich dark wood finish on the legs and arms. Several tall banana palms filled the corners like a green house while the drapes that covered the glass sliding doors, were a nice blend of all greens and earth tones. They opened onto a small patio with more tables. I could have sworn I heard barking howler monkeys and heavy falling rain in the background as thought we were in a rainforest. How appropriate. It was all just so too, too.

Ranger had chosen his dark gray suit that he'd had made for himself a few years back. His dark red necktie was well balanced against the light gray silk shirt he wore underneath. He'd asked if I preferred the gray or the black suit. I preferred the black telling him he was more handsome and sexy in the black and although the gray suit fit him like a glove, he wasn't fond of it and neither was I. I had told him when he had it made that it made him look wan against the color of his skin. He wore the gray suit anyway.

Charles returned and escorted us to a table by a set of sliding glass doors that overlooked the edge of the putting green. Floodlights shone on freshly mown lawns cut in a checkerboard pattern, the aroma strong against my sinuses.

Lawrence and Olivia greeted us and introduced us to the other two couples sitting at the round dinner table covered in a heavy white linen table cloth with bright apple green napkins that matched Charles' necktie. Olivia made a point of forgetting my name as she hugged Ranger's arm when she introduced him as Rick to her friends. He quickly corrected her.

Lawrence shook Ranger's hand then we ordered our drinks.

Ranger and I shared a carafe of Sauvignon Blanc, our favorite. It wasn't the best I'd ever had, but it was potable.

Lawrence was tall, with thinning light hair and skinny, very skinny and a face that reminded me of a grainy old lithograph of Abraham Lincoln. Calling him homely would have been a compliment. His suit was navy blue that matched his blue eyes, with bulging knees and a sagging behind in more ways than one. His shirt was a dingy white, yet starched and pressed. He may have thought he looked special but it was clear to me that he probably got his suit at the local Wal-Mart definitely not Brooks Brothers or Armani. At least the front row of his blond hair plugs was new.

Patricia and Marcus Benton sat with their backs to the fairway while Marlene and Walter Pitkins sat on our left.

Olivia looked to be about our age but Lawrence appeared to be much older. Much older.

She was on the tall side like Lawrence, with thick dark hair and deep brown eyes under over-plucked eyebrows. I would have ventured a guess that she had been very pretty in her youth although she'd apparently had her face done, and very badly at that. She must have gone to the same Wal-Mart for her surgery because it looked like someone had stretched a sheet of plastic wrap across her face. She had a permanent smile so big I swear she could have hooked her earrings on the corners of her mouth and no one would have been the wiser.

Her nose was new too, although it seemed to want to point to the left a little. Despite all that and the heavy makeup, she was still very attractive.

Olivia's dress had probably been purchased when she picked up Lawrence's suit. It was tan linen with black piping that reminded me of the bedspread Ranger used to have on his bed when he was still single, but I digress.

"So which is it, Ranger or Rick?" Marcus asked.

"Ranger." He replied with a firm tone.

"Oh come now." Olivia began. "Ranger is so … _gauche_. Rick is so _… je ne sais quoi_ …" She tossed her hair over her shoulder masterfully with a simple flick of her wrist.

"Sexy."

Patricia and Marlene said together. They laughed then clinked their wine glasses together across the table. Glasses that, from their demeanor, had already been filled and re-filled with cheap wine several times before we arrived.

"Come sit next to me." Olivia said as she tugged on Ranger's arm and patted the seat beside her.

"Thank you, but I'll sit next to my wife if you don't mind."

He pulled his arm from her grasp and came to my side, sat, unfolded the green napkin then placed it on his lap.

"Sorry Babe. _This was a bad idea."_ He mumbled under his breath in Spanish.

"It's okay." I smiled at him as he kissed me gently and mouthed the words I yearned to hear.

"Love you."

"Please. None of that here. This is a family country club."

Everyone seemed to be amused except for Olivia.

"How long have you two been married?" Walter asked as he tipped the clear golden liquid to his lips.

"Five years this week." Ranger added quickly.

"Really?" Patricia asked. "You have to be about our age."

"Oh gee. I feel awful." Olivia said with no tone of remorse as she touched her chest with her boney hand. The fake diamond on her finger was dull against the glowing candle on the table. "I took your husband away from you on your anniversary. How rude of me?" She reached across the table and patted Ranger's hand.

Ranger was right. She was a snob without grounds and she was hitting on my husband right in front of me. I piped up quickly ignoring her completely. I'd known the woman one whole minute and she was already getting on my nerves. I wanted to strangle her.

"We were both married before."

"I see." She said. "So no children to leave all your money to Rick?"

With those few words, I suddenly felt very inadequate. Olivia knew how to hit below the belt.

"No. Not yet anyway. Someday maybe. But not yet." Ranger said with a hopeful smile. "I have a daughter from my previous marriage. Julie. She just turned nineteen. She's just about to start college."

"Really? Stephanie dear, it must be difficult for you to get along with her. I mean… It's not like she's your own flesh and blood."

"Not at all. Julie's a terrific kid. We get along great. We're actually very close."

"Isn't that wonderful. Even if she isn't yours." Olivia said with a very sarcastic tone. "That's just lovely."

Her champagne glass drained, she called the waiter to the table with a wave of her hand.

"Gerald, I think we're ready to order now."

Once Gerald's notepad was filled with specifics and alterations and substitutions, he trotted off toward the swinging door that led to the kitchen.

"Rick Darling, you must join us for a game of golf soon." Olivia said.

"I don't play. Neither does my wife."

"Oh come on. A _bon_ _vivant_ like yourself, I'm sure you could learn quickly. I'd be happy to give you private lessons. I'm sure that Stephanie could amuse herself somehow while we play together." She leaned toward him trying to look sexy. "Just the two of us. You and me. I'd love to play with you. I'm a very good teacher."

Her eyes were glazing over. I considered picking up my fork wanting to poke those brown eyes down her throat but Ranger placed his hand over mine that held the lethal weapon, letting me twitch underneath.

"No thank you. I didn't mean to imply that we didn't know how to play. We simply don't enjoy it. It isn't physical enough for us."

The ladies glanced at each other then giggled like he'd just told a dirty joke.

"Really. What kind of sports do you enjoy that are, as you say, more physical." With her elbows on the table she leaned into her hand and gazed at Ranger dreamily. "I can think of one very physical activity that you might enjoy."

Ignoring another one of her off color comments, Ranger continued as though she hadn't spoken at all.

"Stephanie and I enjoy travelling, swimming, hiking and running. We spend a great deal of time in the gym and the gun range as well. Our jobs require that we remain fit and strong."

The golden liquid slid down her throat as she lifted her glass to her puffy collagen injected lips.

"What exactly do you do at Rangemen Stephanie that requires so much training? How tough do you have to be to answer the phone?" She giggled with her groupies again.

"Stephanie doesn't answer the phone. She's a …"

"Aren't you afraid of the big bang when someone fires a gun near you? KaBoom!"

More laughter erupted. That time from the men.

"That doesn't seem very feminine to me."

"Actually I'm not afraid of a gun. I've killed before. It's a necessary evil of the business we're in. I'm licensed to carry a concealed weapon. One of the few women in New Jersey, other than an undercover police officer, that is."

I considered taking out the .38 in my purse and pointing at her shiny forehead but that would have been too showy on my part and taken me down to her level which I considered to be beneath pond scum at that juncture.

"As I was saying," Ranger said with a touch of acid in his tone directed at the group and not me. "My wife is a full Rangemen owner. She's also the current vice president of our company and a well qualified bounty hunter with a perfect recovery record. She's a master marksman and has earned a black belt in karate. She's a formidable foe, and not to be taken lightly, I might add. I consider her to be an equal as do the rest of my men. She knows how to pull her own weight. In addition to that she's a real whizz with the books and can pull a needle out of haystack. She's got a sense about things and that's a real asset in this kind of business. She's more than just a board member that sits at a desk. She's a true partner in every sense of the word. She's my soul mate." He took my hand in his and kissed it.

Our salads arrived.

"Good evening everyone and welcome to New Jersey's finest country club where all member's and their guests are welcome." All eyes seemed to stray in Ranger's direction like he was the token minority, as the DJ for the evening began. Apparently being of Cuban decent, with darker skin, made him 'special' in the man's eyes. How condescending. I wished I'd brought Lula and Tank. Maybe even Hector as back up. His cold, calculated comments pissed me off. Maybe I was pissed off already. As the music began, I could see Ranger's bullshit meter reaching capacity so I asked him to dance with me while we waited for our dinners to arrive. I had had enough of Mrs. Daniels and her self-absorbed cohorts.

"Ranger?" I stood and offered him my hand.

"Absolutely. I'd love to dance with you, _mi querida_." He followed me and took the hand offered to him and was about to walk me to the farthest end of the dance floor when Marcus piped up.

"Hey. You can't do that. You make the rest of us look bad."

They all looked at each other and chuckled like it was the funniest joke they'd every heard. I smiled and threw my head back as though it was a hilarious comment then made a Lucy face once my back was turned. Ranger couldn't help but smile. After we'd danced through the first song and into the second Ranger whispered into my hair so no one could read his lips.

"What do you think?"

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Trailer Trash. I don't trust either one of them. He's arrogant and a little too old for her, don't you think? She's very manipulative. Likes to twist what you're saying to suit her own agenda. Still. I'm not so sure that she wears the pants in that family."

"You've got her pegged."

"She's got the hots for you though."

He thought for a minute then said, "Let's go home. This was a bad idea. We should never have agreed to this."

"It wasn't a total waste of time. I got to meet and dissect the lovely Mrs. Daniels and her pet dinosaur"

"I've had enough. I want to go." Ranger began to tug me toward the door.

"We can't leave now." I whispered. "We just ordered dinner. It would be rude. Besides, they're paying, remember?"

"I know that. Dammit." He pulled me closer and held me tighter. "This isn't what I wanted for our anniversary, Stephanie."

I could feel the heat begin to radiate from his body right through his suit as he became more 'friendly'.

I suddenly had visions of that first time we'd gone dancing in Miami, just before we got married. The nasty, filthy, wonderful things we did to each other that night in the alley. Mmm, Mmm. God, it turned me on just thinking about it again.

"I wanted to take you out to dinner and dance with you but I wanted us to be alone. I wanted to take you someplace nice, secluded, then take you to bed and make love to you all night." He pressed his lips to my neck and whispered in Spanish. "_Drink champagne from your shoe."_ My skin entered his mouth and I knew there would be a mark. _"Eat strawberries from your finger tips."_ He took my fingers to his lips and sucked each one. "_Lick whipped cream from your …"_

"Hey you two. You need to get a room." Lawrence tapped me on the shoulder. "My turn to dance with the bride."

"I guess that means you're mine then. I get to dance with the groom." Olivia insisted.

Before I knew it, we each had new dance partners and were being pulled apart from each other like ships in the night. Olivia gave me that look over her shoulder as she got a little closer to Ranger than I cared for. Lawrence was talking to me like I was some dumb bimbo as I felt his hand slide down to my ass. Dirty old man.

"Excuse me." I said. "I need to use the ladies room. I'm suddenly sick to my stomach." I pushed away a little rougher than need be but I wanted him away from me.

Watching Olivia's hands on Ranger, I was a very angry woman.

I caught Ranger's fuming eyes as I entered the lime green combination restroom and locker room. As I looked around the area listening to the women talk to each other, I suddenly felt like a member of the cast of the movie _Caddy Shack_. Lots of hot air was coming from their lips and hand dryers but there was no content to be had.

I took care of business quickly then returned to the table where Olivia and Ranger were just sitting down. She looked like someone had taken her spot in line on the putting green and Ranger looked like he was about to blow his cork.

"_I've got a plan_." I sat beside him and whispered in Spanish into my napkin.

I got no verbal reply just the imperceptible nod.

Dinner was served and everyone dug in with their inane comments saying nothing at all.

"Patricia, darling. Isn't this lamb divine?"

"Oh Marlene my dear. Taste this lobster bisque. It's to die for."

"Ladies, this Canadian salmon is so fresh I swear I could speak French if I tried."

"_Mais ou mon chou."_

I tried to think of something appropriate to say to join in but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. My French was no better than Pee Wee Herman's. The things I wanted to say were words my grandmother, the crazy one, would have said. Thinking of my grandmother made me smile.

Ranger had ordered swordfish and I ordered a batter fried chicken. I had a few bites then announced that I wasn't feeling well. I said that I was allergic to eggs and had neglected to ask the waiter to check with the chef. I made an issue of saying that there must be eggs in the batter and that we'd better get home so I could take my medicine which I'd so foolishly left at home on the dining room table when I changed purses for the evening.

My monthly cramps had returned anyway so it was easy to pretend that I wasn't feeling well.

We said our goodbyes and apologized profusely. Olivia stood to suggest that I take a cab and let Ranger stay. She'd see to it that he got to bed safely. I pretended to gag so Ranger whisked me off to the car. Once on our way home, Ranger burst into laughter. Laughter I hadn't heard in days.

"Babe. You're amazing. That was brilliant."

"Yeah, so brilliant that I'm really nauseous. You'd better pull over or I'm going to barf in your new car."

I wretched beyond reason as I held my stomach that seemed to want to cramp up. I blamed it on my monthly visitor.

Once back in the car, Ranger asked. "Steph. Are you pregnant again?"

I shrugged my shoulders as a hot flash flared then passed.

"Maybe?" He said with a smile.

"I don't think so. I've got my period." I rubbed my stomach. "Can we go home? I really don't feel well."

* * *

**Chapter 13: Chapter 13**

* * *

CH – 13 - Disappointment

By the time we got home, we'd had to stop one more time. Ranger helped me change into my usual Rangemen t-shirt then covered my forehead with a cool damp facecloth. The cramps were unbearable and I was flowing heavily but I refused to admit it to him knowing he'd take me to the hospital. I took some Midol then drifted off to sleep cuddled and tangled in my husband's arms and legs.

When we got up Sunday morning I actually felt much better but weak. By noontime, the cramps had all but stopped as had most of the severe bleeding. Ranger insisted that first thing Monday morning, I had to make an appointment to see my gynecologist, in lieu of an emergency room visit, just in case something was really wrong. I would have conveniently forgotten about making an appointment but Ranger wouldn't allow it.

"Not a chance Stephanie. Don't even try that shit with me."

I made the call at 8AM. Dr. Leavitt was able to see me at 1:30.

The team got together at 9AM and discussed the Daniels account again. Ranger expressed his concern that something was off. Vince had run a title search and found that some of the properties the Daniels said they owned actually belonged to absentee slum lords named E. Nadeau and M. Michaud. Les gave Ranger a satisfied knowing look. There were several unanswered summonses still on the books regarding health and safety violations in the rental units. Reports of rats, cockroaches, leaking pipes, stopped up toilets, and malfunctioning heating systems filled the folder. And break-ins. Lots of break-ins, vandalism and fire insurance claims. The hotel, although in the Daniels' name, was in foreclosure.

Hector reported that the wiring in the crawl spaces and attics, where he'd torn his pants and probably where Ranger had scratched his back, was not adequate to support the needs of any kind of security system, never mind a reading lamp.

All in all, between the tangible issues and findings, and what Ranger had said were his gut feelings, the team made the determination that they would deny the Daniels' request.

Although it originally appeared to be a lucrative deal, we decided that it was a losing proposition. Ranger had already wasted several days and man hours and wanted to cut his losses before they added up further. He'd contact the Daniels later that day.

Les said nothing but nodded his approval with a tight smile. Sort of an 'I told you so'. What did he know?

At 1:15, Ranger and I sat in Dr. Leavitt's waiting room.

Dr. Leavitt shared her office space in an old mill building on Canal Street, with her sister Dr. Connors who was a pediatrician. Both widowed, their children now adults living out of state, they shared the apartment on the top floor of an old brick building, similar to the buildings on Haywood Street. The waiting room was a strange combination of plastic wombs, rubber boobs, baby dolls, trucks and colorful building blocks.

Ranger flipped though a copy of _American Guns_ while I mesmerized myself with the most recent issue of _People_.

"Babe. Look at this. This gun will … blah blah blah … Isn't that amazing?"

"Yeah. You should look into getting some for the guys."

"They're pricey as hell but they're really sharp looking. Maybe I'll get one for myself. If the guys like it and it works out, I'll get more. Thanks Babe. Good idea."

He looked at me with a pleased smile. I had no clue what he was talking about, but Jessica Simpson was dating again.

"Stephanie Manoso?"

"Here." I said then raised my hand as though in grade school. I'd been going to Dr. Leavitt since I got my first month's worth of birth control pills.

"Hello Stephanie. Ranger. How are you two doing today?" We walked down the long sunny hallway to the last exam room on the left.

"Better." I said lamely.

Her office hadn't changed since the first time I'd walked through the old oak and glass door with the overhead mottled glass tram. Cheap green and beige variegated tile from the fifties still covered the floors. The lower halves of the walls were covered in seventies paneling with gaudy fruity wallpaper in purple and green on top. Her exam table was a mint green affair that matched the wood trim popular just after WW II. The guest chair in the corner was covered with a worn red vinyl with permanent butt cheeks imprinted on the seat. A huge piece of gray duct tape coveringred a slit that I'd picked at the first time I'd seen Dr. Leavitt. Ranger chose to stand rather than get the tape stuck to his pants.

She asked the usual questions: Are you allergic to anything? When was your last period? Was it normal? Does it hurt when you have sex? You know the drill.

Ranger had to cover his mouth at some of the questions. If I'd had something to throw at him, I would have.

"Okay. So why are you here today Stephanie? It isn't time for your annual checkup."

Her hazel eyes looked at me then Ranger over her black eyeglasses that were trimmed with rhinestones and attached to a woven chain that hung loosely around her neck.

"Well. We've sort of been trying to, you know, have a… and I threw up the other night. I was having a really heavy period with lots of cramps. It seems to have eased up now."

"Steph? You didn't tell me about the cramps and heavy ..." Ranger began as he adjusted his crossed arms.

"Hmm." She said, "Okay. Sit on the table Stephanie. I'm just going to do some basic tests then we'll do a pelvic exam in a few minutes."

Oh crap!

Dr. Leavitt took my blood pressure and my temperature, listened to my heart and lungs then took a gallon of blood and asked me to pee in a Dixie cup. She pulled out a few things from the cupboard with the distorted glass door and chrome knob, then handed them to me. I changed into a drafty paper dress then sat on the lovely green table with my ass hanging out trying to make small talk with my husband.

"Would you like me to stay or leave? Your choice."

"May as well stay. You're just going to ask me what she said then call her to repeat it when I don't remember."

Dr. Leavitt tapped at the door and asked me to scoot back then slide forward on the comfy crinkly paper mindful of possible paper cuts to my behind.

Placing ones legs in those cold metal stirrups and then be subjected to that inhumane pelvic exam was, in my opinion, was something devised by some sadistic old men just to torture women in the name of science.

Dr. Leavitt did her thing, and Ranger held my hand as I stared at the odd clear plastic birth control mat on the ceiling. As he bent to kiss my forehead, Dr. Leavitt, with her infinite sick sense of humor said, "Uh, uh. That's what got you here."

"You can sit up now Stephanie." She snapped her nitrile gloves again and tossed them in the bio trash can as someone tapped on the door.

"Yes, Patty?" Dr. Leavitt opened the door and the short thin girl with long blond hair and big green eyes handed her a piece of paper. "Thank you."

Dr. Leavitt, the woman I'd known for years, the tall heavy set matronly woman with short curly gray hair, pulled the dumpy wheeled stool over to us and sat down. She opened my file and placed the paper Patty had given her inside then shut it.

"Well," she began, unable to look at either one of us. "I'm not sure how to tell you this." She looked up at Ranger first then me as she slid her eyeglasses down to the tip of her nose. "I'm sorry Stephanie. It looks like you had another miscarriage." She stood then patted my shoulder. "Try to get some rest. You should be fine physically in another day or so."

"Are you certain?" Ranger asked as he squeezed my hand.

"I'm certain." She looked at me and tapped the paper in the file that Patty had handed her. I hadn't realized that I was crying. "Are you okay, honey?" I nodded my head, unable to speak. To Ranger she said. "Is she still seeing Dr. Troika?"

"Yes. Regularly." He replied as he held me.

"You should call her. Tell her what happened. If she's able, I'm certain she'll see her."

"Steph?"

I nodded that I'd agree to see her.

"How long have you been trying?" I shrugged my shoulders as Dr Leavitt slid the folder under her arms and removed her eyeglasses to wipe them on the cloth in the pocket of her white lab coat.

"Not long, doctor. This has all been so difficult. We've been very hesitant to try again and now this." Ranger replied as he sat on the edge of the ugly green table, still holding me.

"Why is this happening?" I asked. I wanted to know. No. I had to know. Was this really my fault? Because …

Convince myself I was ready all I wanted, I was still afraid. But of what, exactly, I couldn't or wouldn't say, even to myself.

"Well." She hesitated as though she wanted to say something but then took a different tact. "Listen, this happens sometimes. There isn't always a cut and dry answer. You're both fairly young enough and very healthy. It's still early in the game. Keep trying. If you aren't pregnant again after six months and you're still serious about it, come back and we'll look at other options. There are tests that can be done, of course. Until then, relax. You've both been through a lot and it's much too soon to get upset." I nodded again. "Help her get dressed. I don't need to see her again unless there's a problem." She patted my knee. "It's okay Stephanie. These things happen. You aren't alone." She stood and headed for the door. "Good luck to both of you. Hopefully next time we see each other, I'll have better news for you. I'm sorry I can stay and chat any longer, I have other patients to see."

With that, she disappeared through the hollow wooden door with the bad paint job. Ranger handed me my clothes and I dressed silently.

I'd always liked Dr. Leavitt but on that day I found her to be cold and unfeeling toward me. She didn't understand what I was going through. She didn't care. I felt myself reeling down that dark tunnel again.

"Okay, Babe?"

"Yeah."

I said without looking at him until he placed his fingers under my chin.

"Are you disappointed?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Are you?"

"A little."

"I'm sorry." I began to sob as Rager held me in his arms.

"Steph, there's nothing to be sorry about. We've talked about this. If it happens, great. If not. It's not meant to be."

"I know. But I feel like I let you down."

My lower lip quivered.

"Stephanie. You never let me down."

"Thanks." I wiped my eyes on the back of my hand. "Can we go home now?"

"Sure."

We drove home quietly as I stared out of the side window. I sensed Ranger watching me but he respected my privacy. When we pulled into the parking lot Ranger asked the question I didn't want to answer.

"Stephanie. Do you want to have a baby or not?" My hand was on the door latch so I gave it a push but he held me back. "Stephanie? Please answer me."

With tears in my eyes I turned toward him but couldn't face him.

"I don't know. I'm not sure. I'm afraid."

"Stephanie. Edna Rose's death was not your fault and neither is this miscarriage. Like Dr. Leavitt says. This happens."

"I'm not sure I can go through it all again."

"Then why are we trying? "

"Because I thought that's what you wanted."

"It is. But not at the risk of losing you. Us. Stephanie if you don't want any children, just say so. But don't say you do when you don't. Be honest with me. Be honest with yourself."

"Ranger I…"

He pushed his door open this time. "Let's get you upstairs and into bed. You need to rest."

His tone was cool. As least I imagined it was. I knew he was hurt but his attitude was hurting me too. Damned hormones. I should have known better that to push him.

"Maybe Olivia would oblige."

"Jesus Christ Stephanie. What a stupid thing to say to me. Let's get out of the garage. I have to go to work and you should go lie down. I've got phone calls to make."

There were times when I'd go too far. That was one of them.

"Ranger I'm …" I tried to apologize.

"I said I've got phone calls to make." Apparently Ranger was on edge as much as I was.

As the door to the fifth floor opened, Ranger got out.

"What time will you be up for dinner?"

"I don't know yet. Get some rest." He said with his back to me.

The door closed and he was gone. Why was I so selfish? Why couldn't I see that he was in as much pain as I was?

He was a good husband. Patient with me beyond the norm but even he had limits and I always seemed to push him beyond those limits.

By the time I got to our seventh floor apartment, I was nearly hysterical. I fumbled with the door lock trying to get in then paced unable to compose myself. I tried everything to calm down and come to my senses short of calling Bobby to shoot me up with happy juice.

I nuked a cup of water for tea but I nearly scalded myself when I lost my grip of the handle trying to take it out of the microwave.

Hoping a few ibuprofen would help, I took to the medicine cabinet but dropped several pills down the drain.

The juice bottle I took from the fridge slipped from my hand and burst when it hit the floor. I picked up the split plastic container then sopped up the mess on the floor with the dish towels hanging from the cabinet doors.

Dr. Troika's husband Henry answered the phone when I called. She was out of town for a few days but he said he'd give her the message the next time she called.

I wanted my husband. I needed him badly. Chin up I aimed for the door again. As I opened it, Ranger was standing there with his hand reaching for the latch.

"I'm sorry." We both said at the same time.

"Are you home to stay?"

"No. I came to get you. I don't think you should be alone right now and neither should I but I have work to do that I can't put off. We need to be together. I haven't spoken to the Daniels yet. Come with me?"

I smiled as he pulled me to him.

"We'll fix this Stephanie. We'll get it right. Right now I have a few things to do. Let's get this Daniels fiasco taken care of then I'm taking you out for dinner if you're up to it."

"Ranger you don't have to do that."

"Yes I do. We need it, okay?"

"Okay. I called Dr. Troika. She's away for a few days but Henry said he'd tell her that I called."

"I'm very proud of you Steph. I know that must have been difficult to do."

"I actually feel a little bit better just having called."

I replayed Dr. Troika's words like a movie reel. She'd taught me relaxation and control techniques similar to what Ranger had been taught in the Army. It helped. It helped a lot. I could do this. I could cope.

We took the elevator as he held my hand. Once in his office, we shut the door, and he finished what he had to do while I took a nap on the sofa.

Letting out a loud yawn as I stretched some time later, Ranger spoke from behind his computer screen.

"Steph, I've been thinking about something so I've done some research. I think it's important to clear the air about this before we move on." He beckoned me forth. "Come here. Look at this."

I must have appeared confused.

"Okay. What's so important?" I sat on his lap.

"You and getting pregnant. I want to know the truth. Do you want to pursue this? Are you ...?"

"No."

"No what?"

"No. I don't want to talk about this now." I tried to get up.

"Yes. We're going to talk about this right now."

Gently crossing my arms over my chest, I said, "Oh, all right. What kind of information did you get?"

"I want you to look at this."

He pulled up a website and pointed with his finger.

"I've been searching online about miscarriages. You've had three miscarriages and possibly countless others that we aren't even aware of. I'm very concerned about both your physical and mental health. I think we should stop trying and do something permanent."

"Permanent? What do you mean permanent?"

"I love you Stephanie and having a baby with you would be a wonderful thing but I don't think it's in the cards for us. Proof is the miscarriages. You're still not sure and I'm, well, not as sure as I thought I was. We're caving to pressure from our friends and family. I don't think it's what we really want. We're getting older and the odds of a safe pregnancy for you are diminishing daily. I don't want to lose you Stephanie. Not over this."

"Continue. I'm listening." He had my full and undivided attention.

"Don't get angry. Hear me out first." He took a breath. "Well, you know how I hate using a condom and you're always forgetting to take your pills. There's the constant possibility that you could get pregnant again. I've been looking into vasectomies and tubal ligations. A vasectomy would be much less invasive and the down time would be minimal in comparison. I'd like you to think about it."

"You mean …"

"Yes. I think its time to face the fact that this may never work out in our favor for whatever reason. It's isn't worth it Steph. It just isn't worth it. I don't want to lose you then have to bring up a child alone."

"So we would never get pregnant?"

"That's the ultimate goal."

I took a breath. Was I upset or relieved?

"Steph, if you really want to keep trying, I'll go along with it but if you have one more miscarriage, I'm going to put my foot down. It's hard on you, I know it is but it's hard on me too. We're fragile right now. I know everyone says a baby will bring us closer together but I don't want to take that chance. Think about it, please?"

"Can I sleep on it?"

I had actually thought about it since we'd gotten serious about having a baby, even before Edna Rose. I'd thought about it a lot and I always came to the same conclusion. I wasn't sure. That was a decision on its own.

"Of course. We'll talk about more later."

Changing the subject as thought the white elephant in the room didn't exist; we worked out our strategy and dialed the Daniels.

"Dis 'ees 'de Daniel' 'ouse."

A woman with a strong French accent said as she answered the phone.

Ranger hit the speaker phone button.

"Ranger Manoso from Rangemen Security. Lawrence Daniels please?"

"_Oui_ _Monsieur_. One _minute_. I get 'im for you."

"Thank you."

I heard a clunk as the woman placed the receiver on the credenza or table.

Within a few seconds, Lawrence answered.

"Ricky. How are you doing? Hey how's Sally? She okay?"

Ranger ignored the Ricky and Sally thing.

"Stephanie is fine. Thank you for asking. Simple indigestion. Nothing serious."

"Good. Good. Got a quote for me yet? Times a wastin'."

"Stephanie and I would like to come over and talk to you about the quote. Are you free this evening? And Mrs. Daniels?"

"Yes. Olivia is on her way back from shopping and I'm working from home today. They're painting my office in town. Be here around seven? We'll have cocktails."

"Stephanie and I will be there."

With the handset resting in the cradle, Ranger spoke. "Here goes nothing."

I took care of business while Ranger talked to Tank to tell him where we were going and what we had planned. I walked in just as they were finishing up their conversation.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to be going there with just Steph? Maybe you should take one of us for backup. Les told me about …" He stopped talking as I walked through the door.

"Les told you about the what?" I asked innocently as I sat on Ranger's knee.

"Ah. Les told me about the foreclosure."

"Really? I thought it was Vince." I looked back and forth between Ranger and Tank. Something was up.

"Yes, Vince. You're right. It was Vince. My mistake." Tank brought his empty coffee cup to his lips. "Oops. Empty. I'll be right back." Tank was gone before I'd managed to open my mouth.

"That was odd."

"Ready to go, my sweet."

He patted my behind.

"Ready Ricky."

I pretended that I was Olivia. When would I learn?

"Not funny Steph."

When we reached the garage, he asked.

"How are you doing?"

"Okay. I took a happy pill. I figured I'd need it if we're going to the Daniels'. I had a few left over. I don't really feel any better but I don't care."

"Be careful with those."

"I will."

We stopped for dinner on the way to the Daniels'. It was a little bistro just off the highway. We didn't have time to go to Mateo's that night. We shared a bowl of creamy broccoli and mushroom soup with a large salad, fresh crusty bread and a glass of house wine. I had soda because of the meds.

We didn't discuss the doctor's visit or the V word. Our focus was on the Daniels at that moment.

I checked the address in my notes and punched it into the GPS as we continued our drive.

The neighborhood was mostly expensive large homes owned by lawyers and successful businessmen. Homes that I'd once admired with their circular drives and well manicured lawns. They always had elaborate Christmas light displays around the holidays. My parents would drive us by there every year as a holiday ritual.

"Someday girls," My mother would say to my sister and me. "You might live in one of these houses if you marry the right man."

Dad always huffed at her comment as though the house he'd provided wasn't good enough. "Not that our house isn't wonderful, Frank. It's just perfect for our little family."

Once we'd arrived at the Daniels', number 23254 Morning Glory Circle, I was stunned. My heart sank. I remembered that house in its glory days.

The house was still grand but so sad.

Some of the shutters were missing and the upstairs windows had been boarded up with large sheets of plywood. Signs of a recent fire were evident by the black streaks peeking above the plywood and under the darkened eaves. The vinyl siding was blistered resembled melted ice cream. Part of the roof was covered with a bright blue tarp.

The lawn was overgrown and dead as a hayfield. No flowers filled or decorated the empty concrete pots edging the circular drive and entry. Only decaying weeds swayed to and fro in the evening breeze.

The three car garage to the side of the main house was also in questionable condition, probably why the used tan Mercedes and faded plum colored Saab were parked on the cracked pavement and not inside, under cover.

We carefully stepped over the damaged and cracked wooden planks then rang the silent doorbell. Ranger gave the wooden door a good hard knock.

Their housekeeper, a French woman, short and squat, in her mid to late sixties, who'd apparently answered the phone earlier, greeted us with a smile then let us in. She escorted us through the large foyer toward the back of the house.

The building may have been impressive at one time but it had clearly been badly neglected after the damage.

Water stains ran down the torn papered walls in dark brown streams leading to the floors. Ceiling stains reminded me of unfinished frescos. The scarred floors had been carpeted at one time but it had all apparently been torn up after the fire had occurred. I was no insurance adjuster so I didn't venture to guess how long the structure had been in that state of disarray.

The house smelled of must and mold like an old barn. The bottom edges of the sheet rocked walls were black with fungus. I could have sworn I saw what looked like mushrooms growing in spots.

Even if the Daniels had bought that house for a song as an investment, they paid too much. Again, I was no expert but I doubted its structural integrity.

The woman, dressed in a dark cotton house dress, covered with a flowered apron, pointed to the patio by the empty pool. It was shimmering with green slime that I could see from where we stood. Several mismatched sun bleached lawn chairs waited for us.

"Thank you."

Ranger said as she turned to walk away. Her dark 'nurse' shoes squeaked softly on the badly damaged floor.

"_Oh my God! What a dump. You didn't tell me it was this bad."_

I mumbled to Ranger in Spanish with my hand over my mouth as we waited afraid to sit in the chairs with the frayed webbing.

"It was dark and very late. I guess I didn't really notice. I was only here for a few minutes. We didn't inspect this building."

The house reminded me of the mansion Tom Hanks had purchased in the movie _Money Pit_ only that house was in much better condition.

Lawrence appeared.

"Ricky, Sandy. Welcome."

"It's Stephanie."

Lawrence ignored Ranger then continued as though he hadn't said a word.

"Olivia! The Manosos are here." He called to his wife from the intercom at the foot of the winding open staircase with several missing balustrades.

"Sorry I can't invite you for a swim. The pool's being repaired. Something's wrong with the filter."

The pool should have been the least of their worries.

As we got closer, it appeared to me that it hadn't been used in any capacity other than storage for fire damaged items. The diving board, a broken lawn chair, an empty bag of chips, and assorted other trash floated in two to three feet of thick slimy green muck that appeared to take on a life of its own. The movie _The Creature from Beyond the Lagoon_ came to mind. From the smell, I'd guess that there might have been a creature carcass or two down in its depths just waiting to pop up at us, as well. I grabbed Ranger's arm.

"Not a problem. We didn't come to swim. We came to talk about your buildings and security concerns."

"Sure. Sure. Sit please. Let's get down to business. Margaret will be back in a minute with some cold drinks and snacks." In the same breath, he continued. "Isn't this place magnificent? We just purchased it at auction. Took the prior owners to the cleaners. They'd had some minor water damage from a small fire and had no insurance so the bank foreclosed. No big deal you can see that. I got to tell you." He laughed maniacally. "What a bargain we got."

"It has possibilities." I said with as much feeling as I could muster.

"We won't be here long." Ranger began. "Lawrence listen. We've gone over everything with my crew and we're just not going to be able to do anything for you at this time."

"What? Why not?" He stood straighter, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. The ice in his drink clinked.

"Well, for one thing, I don't have the manpower right now for such a big job."

"Really? That's too bad. I heard you were the best." He uncrossed his arms, stirred his drink with his finger, then licked it before he spoke again. "Very accommodating. You don't sound very anxious to expand your business. Is business so good that you can refuse a sure thing? I guess Olivia's friend was wrong about you."

Sure thing is right. Rangemen would lose their shirt on this deal. For sure. My spidey sense was on high alert and the house gave me the creeps. Where was Norman Bates hiding?

"We're actually quite busy at the moment but that isn't the point, Lawrence. Your needs are more than what we can accomplish for you. We aren't a construction company. It appears that your buildings will require a lot of repair work before we can even consider installing any security equipment."

Ranger forced himself to avoid looking around the house we were standing in.

"What do you mean? Our buildings are in top notch condition. Nothing that a little paint or paper couldn't take care of. Most are recent purchases like this one. We haven't had time to… What did you find that you feel would be a problem?"

"Well, for the most part …"

Olivia appeared.

"Ricky sweetie. Good to see you again." She walked over to him and hugged him like they were old pals. She ignored me like I had poison ivy on my face and shit covered the rest of me. "Oh. Hello Suzanne." Her nose was pointing south then north to avoid the smell, I'd have guessed.

"It's Stephanie."

"Oh, of course."

"Olivia, Rick says he can't help us."

"WHAT? What do you mean?" Apparently Lawrence's comment had taken her by surprise.

"Mrs. Daniels, as I was telling your husband, these building are in very poor condition. They'll require a lot of carpentry work before we could even begin to think about installing security systems."

"Like what, exactly?"

Olivia barked as she placed her bony hands angrily on her hip while her forced plastic smile remained.

"The electrical systems aren't up to code and would have to be rewired. I noticed that the plumbing is inadequate as well. Several roofs need to be replaced or repaired at the very least. It will take a lot of money…"

"What does the plumbing or roof have to do with a security system?" Lawrence asked.

"Nothing. I'm just saying that I don't believe that these building are in any condition to be investing the kind of capital it would take to make them safe and secure. The office building on Linden Street should be torn down."

"How dare you? You agreed …" Olivia shrieked.

"I'm sorry if I've upset you, Mrs. Daniels but I can't in good conscience take your money for a job I can't complete to my standards."

"Olivia, please calm down. Rick. Sandra. I think you should leave. You've upset my wife."

Lawrence had moved to her side and held her trying to comfort her and her alligator tears.

Ranger handed Lawrence a slim piece of light blue paper from his shirt pocket.

"I won't charge you for any of the inspections my company performed on your behalf so I'm returning your deposit check. I'd be happy to provide you with a copy of my report, if you'd like."

"You had better not charge us. You've done nothing. I don't know what you're about Rick Manoso but I'll see to it that your name is mud in this town. I have connections. You won't be able to get a job putting in smoke detectors. You won't work again. The name Rangemen will be history. Do you hear me? Now get out of my house. Both of you."

He pointed toward the wide wooden door with peeling varnish and tarnished brass hardware.

Olivia got right in Ranger's face. "I suggest that you consider taking another look before you make your final decision or you're going to pay for this Manoso. You will rue the day you …"

"Are you threatening me?" Ranger asked softly. I'd heard that tone before. Just before he … Well, let's just say I'd heard it before.

Olivia stormed out of the room stomping her feet on the stairs like a child denied a treat.

"Yes we are. And you had better keep your hands to yourself in the future. My wife told me what you did to her when you were dancing together at the club. Your hands were all over her when you were alone with her that night you were here with your cousin too. I know what you're trying to do. I'm not stupid. And you Sonia, should pay more attention to what your husband does when he's with another man's wife. Ask him about it sometime."

"What?" I said more to myself that anyone else.

"I never touched your wife, Mr. Daniels. I don't know what you're talking about."

The little French woman stood in the doorway with a tray of drinks and snacks in her hands and a blank look on her face.

"Margaret. Please see Rick and his wife Sarah out. They're no longer welcome in this home. And if they come back, call the police."

* * *

**Chapter 14: Chapter 14**

* * *

CH – 14 - Denial

We sat quietly on the way home. Ranger was on a slow boil like a pressure cooker just about to whistle and I was trying to put the pieces together.

"Ranger? What was Lawrence talking about?"

"What do you mean?"

He glanced at me.

"You and Olivia."

"I have no idea." He was confident in his reply.

"Ranger, talk to me."

"Steph there's nothing to talk about."

"Then why did …"

"Stephanie. Drop it please. I'm in no frame of mind to discuss Lawrence or Olivia Daniels at the moment. Please. I'm very angry and I need to think."

Folding my hands on my lap, I sat patiently. Patiently letting my own pressure cooker come to a boil.

Once we reached Haywood Street, we went straight to the apartment. As soon as we walked through the door, Ranger headed for the bathroom.

"I need a shower. Want to join me?"

"No thanks. I'm going to get something to eat before I go to bed."

"Sorry Babe. This has turned into a real disaster. I wish I'd never gotten involved with those people." He leaned over to kiss my cheek. I wanted to push him away until he answered my questions but I was too tired myself. "Love you Stephanie."

"Love you too."

We had a short conversation the next morning about what Lawrence had said. Lawrence was angry and according to Ranger, he'd made everything up about Olivia. As for what had occurred at the country club, we both knew that the advances had been initiated by the Daniels, on both of us, and not the other way around. I chose to believe my husband. The Daniels were phonies and not to be trusted.

A few months later, Ranger's cell phone rang while he was at the gym. It was a very specific tone assigned to a specific number, signifying that a personal call was coming in. I couldn't get to it in time but checked the message in case it was important. It might have been Julie or Abuela. It was Olivia. We hadn't heard from either of the Daniels since that night. I wondered where she'd gotten that number.

_"Ricky darling. It's me. Sorry to call you on this line. I know you told me not to in case your wife answered but I haven't heard from you. You aren't picking up on your work line. Where have you been? I miss you so much. It's so wonderful to make love to you again after all these years. Especially the other night." _She giggled.

"What?" Did I hear that correctly? "You're dreaming Olivia."

_Like I said when you were here, I still can't get anyone to look at these properties to install security systems. I spoke to someone over the phone today who said he'd call you. Have you heard from him? He said he spoke to you. I can't remember his name. Some Hispanic guy. I need your help, Ricky. Please do this for me as a favor for old time's sake. You promised you'd help me if I ever needed you. I need you now."_

Old times sake? What was she talking about?

_"Oh and by the way, speaking of that. The second reason I'm calling is that I'm pregnant. Isn't it wonderful?" _That time her giggled was excited laughter._" Now I know we agreed to keep what's going on between us from Lawrence and what's her name until you can get your money tied up then divorce her but with the baby coming, we're going to have to tell them everything very soon so we can be together."_

"Pregnant?" Was she really pregnant? With Rangers baby? How? When? "No." Can't be. "You're lying." I screamed. "Ranger wouldn't do that to me."

_Ricky really, that wife of yours? Who is she anyways? Where did you find her? Under a rock? My God. A female bounty hunter? I can't believe that you actually married her. She's so, so crude. And she calls you Ranger of all things. How 'bourgeois'. I'm going to bed now, Baby. Wish you were here with me again tonight. Mmmm. That first night we spent together so many months ago when you came back to me after taking your cousin to the hotel. After all these years, you haven't lost your touch. I can still feel you pulsing inside of me while my fingernails dug into your back as I came for you." _She moaned as though she was at the peak of an orgasm_. "I hate the thought of you with her instead of me."_

The scratches on his back that night? Is that really where they came from? "Oh God!" I covered my mouth with my hand.

_"I'm holding my breath for you to show up here tonight to make love to me. I'm going to have a baby Ricky. Your baby. I'm giving you something that she never can." _

She whimpered a bit then continued. I had no pity for her. I let out a whimper of my own.

_"I'm so sorry. I'm just so distraught. The hormones, you know? Come to me tonight Ricky. Please. After she goes to bed, like always. I need you to touch me and hold me." _She purred erotically again_. "Good night Ricky. I love you."_

Have you ever heard the expression, 'You could have knocked me over with a feather,'? Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I was stunned. I couldn't scream or cry or even breathe. What the hell was going on? Had Ranger really been sleeping with that woman all along? Did they have a past together? What the f…?

Unable to calm myself, I called Les. He'd know. He'd spill the beans. He had a big mouth and was a bigger gossip than Connie and Lula combined.

"Rangemen, Santos speaking."

"Les? Got a minute?"

"For you my favorite cousin? Always."

"Can I come to your apartment?"

I tried to hide the fact that I was crying but I hiccoughed.

"What's wrong Steph?"

Les was nearly as attuned to my needs as Ranger was.

"I need to talk to someone."

"I'm on front desk duty with Carl but he's on break. Just left. I can give you about twenty five minutes of my undivided attention."

"Thanks. I'll be right down. Oh Les?"

"Yeah."

"If you see Ranger, don't tell him I'm coming to talk to you."

I'd managed to control myself slightly. Just hearing a friendly voice helped.

"Can I ask why?"

"No."

"Does this have anything to do with the Daniels?"

"Maybe."

"Then maybe we shouldn't be talking to each other alone, Steph."

"Les. Please!" I begged

"Sorry Steph."

I tried a different tact.

"Les, you don't even know what I want to talk to you about. It could be anything. I might want to talk to you about sports, or cars or guns. Yeah. I need to talk to you about guns. I want to buy Ranger a gun and I want to talk to someone knowledgeable."

"You want to talk about guns, talk to Cal."

"Sports."

"Vince."

"Cooking."

"Hector."

"Cars."

"Bobby."

"Women. Hot slutty women."

"I'm your man."

"Good."

"But I'm not going to answer any questions you have about the Daniels that you don't want Ranger to know about."

"Les. Come on. Help me out. I need to know what really happened that first night you went there with Ranger."

"Sorry Steph. You got questions for the man, you ask him yourself."

"Jerk."

"Steph, I'm really sorry."

"Okay, okay. I'll ask him myself. Besides you already answered my questions. See you later."

Before he figured out that by declining to talk to me, I hung up. He'd answered my questions. His earlier odd behaviors had given him away and now, by refusing to talk to me, he'd confirmed it. He knew something. Now all I had to do was figure out what and confront Ranger with it. Shit. What had been going on between Ranger and Olivia right under my nose? Was I really that naïve?

I spent a long time contemplating my alternatives. Sticking my head in the sand like and ostrich seemed like my best option but I decided to shop for a better idea. Confronting Ranger then shooting him if I didn't like his answer was another option but that would be messy. I could just run away and hope he'd never notice that I was gone. As good as that all sounded in my head, I knew in my heart it wasn't smart. Ranger would notice that I was gone then he'd come after me and find me. I decided that I'd wait to see if he'd come to me so I took Ranger's phone and re-set the messages so that he wouldn't know that I'd heard it. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding. Going with plan A and the ostrich was my plan _du jour_.

I was sitting on the couch eating from a tin of salty peanuts when Ranger came upstairs for the night.

"Hey Babe. Sorry I'm late. Hey! I didn't see you in your office this afternoon. Feeling okay?"

"Yeah. I got involved in a movie and there wasn't anything in my in-box."

"Really? We'll it's full now."

"Shit." He sat beside me and hugged me.

"I missed seeing you stop by my office for a kiss. You owe me." He kissed me. "Mmm. Salty." He filled his hand from the container in my lap and popped the little brown nuts into his mouth.

"Run me a tab."

"I'll get you later Mrs. Manoso." He got up and headed for the kitchen. "What's for dinner? Smells good." He said while opening the oven door.

"Nothing special. Baked chicken breast, asparagus and brown rice. Get out of the oven. It's got another half hour to cook unless you want to eat raw chicken."

"Nope." The wine chiller was in a glass display cabinet in the corner of the dining room. "Wine with dinner?"

"Sure."

I waited until he handed me a cold glass of shimmering pink alcohol. It would be a good place to hide behind. I'd turned off the lights so he wouldn't see that I'd been crying.

"To us, Stephanie."

"To us, Batman."

We entwined our arms and kissed before we sipped our wine. At that point I wished I'd erased the message and forgotten it ever existed. But alas, I hadn't.

"Your phone rang about two hours ago."

"Really? What does Julie want now?" He leaned back and put his feet on the coffee table. His wine glass was doing a balancing act on his lap.

"Take your boots off the coffee table."

"My table. My boots."

"Ranger."

He gulped the last of his wine before he got up to check his message.

"I'm going to take a shower after I check Julie's message. Want to join me?"

His fingers squeezed my shoulders then he began to knead them like small balls of bread dough.

"Sure as long as we're done in a half hour."

"Can't promise that, Babe. You know how I can be in the shower."

"Yeah, crazy."

"Crazy for you." He bent for a kiss on my neck. "I'll be right back. Get naked while I'm gone."

With his phone in his hand, I watched him press a series of buttons then his skin paled to just one shade darker than mine. I watched him pace as he listened to the message a second time.

"What the …?"

"Anything important?"

He headed for the door.

"I… I've got to go out. I'll be right back. Don't wait dinner for me."

The heavy fire door slammed behind him.

I removed the overdone dinner from the oven some time later then stored the rice, asparagus and chicken in the fridge then kept busy watching _Ghostbusters _while I toured the Land of Denial.

Ranger returned just before eleven, extremely agitated.

"Steph." He called to me as he walked through the door. "Stephanie. Where are you?"

The panic in his voice was heart wrenching. It reminded me of the time he'd gone blind a few years back.

I'd just gone to bed with a good book knowing he'd show up sooner or later. I shut the book after sliding a marker inside to keep my place, threw the comforter off of my legs then swung them over the edge and grabbed my plush terry cloth robe.

"In here Ranger. I'm coming. Are you hungry?"

As I tied the belt around my waist I lifted my head to see my husband pace, quickly wearing a path in the new tile floor that led down the long hallway from the front door to the bedroom. He was mumbling to himself and raking his hand through his hair over and over. If he kept it up much longer, I was certain he'd wear a four lane path through his dark hair as well as well as the floor.

"Ranger? What's wrong?"

"Stephanie we need to talk. Now! Please sit down."

He motioned for me to join him in the living room as his anxiety increased by the minute. A lesser man would have been doubled over in cardiac arrest.

I pulled two bottles of water from the fridge then handed him one as I took a seat on the edge of the black leather couch. I flicked the light on the small multi-colored Tiffany lamp on the side table, crossed my legs and took a sip after Ranger opened the bottle for me.

"What's up?" I feigned ignorance. I do that very well.

He raked his hand through his hair again, then sat in the chair across from me. His head fell back as he said, "Sonovabitch. I can't believe this is happening."

Again he stood and paced. This time he rounded the couch and headed for the kitchen mumbling. He took a bottle of water from the fridge, took a long pull then put it back on the shelf.

"Ranger. You're making me dizzy. Come and sit with me. Tell me what's wrong."

Once he was sitting beside me, I handed him the original bottle of water I'd taken from the fridge. He opened and closed the cap several times before he began.

"Steph. There's something I have to tell you. I should have told you this before but I didn't. I know it was wrong of me to keep this from you but I thought nothing would come of it so I didn't. I was wrong. I'm very, very sorry."

Unable to look at me as he spoke, I placed my fingers under his chin and lifted his face to meet my eyes.

"Tell me."

Holding my hands to his cheek he kissed them as his eyes closed. The words wouldn't come so I decided to help him along.

"Does this involve Olivia's phone call?"

"You know?"

"I heard her message. Care to explain?" He started to get up feeling the strong urge to pace again but I held him down. "Sit. Talk."

"I haven't been totally truthful with you. I never really lied to you, but I … Steph, I don't know where to begin."

"How about you start at the beginning."

Over the past ten or so years that we'd know each other both before and after we married, I learned to trust Ranger implicitly. He had never lied to me although he had beaten around the bush some and evaded issues at times or told me flat out that he wasn't going to tell me something, but he had never looked me in the eye and lied to me. When you love someone, really, really love someone, you have to trust them and forgive their transgressions. I've learned to look in the mirror before I pass judgment on another human being. Ranger was my husband. I had to at least give him a chance to explain.

He got up again and I let him go.

"Steph. Something has happened." He stopped and smacked himself in the forehead. "How could I have been so stupid? I should have listened to Les. Shit. Fuck."

He sat next to me again and began his tale.

"The night that I spent looking into the Daniel's properties with the guys, I told you that I hadn't met with Olivia. That was sort of true. She'd come home from her night out without so much as a hello to her husband then ran up the stairs to their bedroom on the second floor. That part is true. I saw her standing at the top of the stairs on the landing. I felt her staring at me. Lawrence called out to her but she ignored him and left quickly. He seemed embarrassed and made some excuse. I gathered by his mannerisms that he'd had to make excuses for her before."

Squirming in his seat, he took a long breath then continued.

"She looked vaguely familiar but I couldn't quite place her. Not at that moment. She was too far away from us. Les was with me, as you know. He recognized her but couldn't tell me until after we'd left the house."

"Les recognized her? Olivia?"

"Yes."

"How does he know Olivia?"

"Only she didn't go by Olivia then. Her named was Rejeanne. Rejeanne Michaud."

"So Les knows her." I said as a statement, not a question.

"Yes."

"Where do you guys know her from?"

"Miami. She was one of the crowd we hung with apparently. She lived somewhere near Rachel I think."

"Is that why Les tried to talk you out of this?"

"Yes it is."

Puzzle pieces starting taking shape and began to fit together.

"Continue."

"Lawrence called her on the intercom a few minutes later and asked her to join us. She sounded upset saying she had a headache and would meet with us another time. We all agreed to get together again the next day. Our inspections were far from complete anyway so it was no big deal. I'd called a nearby hotel and reserved a few rooms for the guys. I called you when we stopped for some fast food on the way to the hotel."

He spun the water bottle in his hands several times trying to form the words. He was exhausted and overwrought.

"Did you go back there that night? Like she said in her message?"

"No Stephanie. I did not."

Patience Stephanie. Have patience. I told myself.

"Have you eaten?" He shook his head that he hadn't. "You must be hungry." I headed for the kitchen. "Let me make you a sandwich."

Ranger followed me and sat at the breakfast bar as I sliced the chicken breasts I'd baked for dinner. I placed the sandwich I'd filled with greens on the breakfast bar then sat across from him munching on a peach.

"Go on."

"Thanks for the sandwich but I don't think I can eat."

"Eat."

He took a few bites, to be polite, and a swig of water.

"The following morning, after a quick breakfast at a small diner near the hotel, we all got back to work. I hadn't really done much of the inspecting, the guys did most of it but Hector asked me to look at something he'd found in the crawl space of one of the apartment buildings."

"Is that when you scratched your back?" Or what it Olivia's nails? I wanted to ask.

"I would guess so. Steph, I really don't remember getting hurt. But it's the only place possible."

"But that's when Hector tore his pants, right?"

"No. He did that the day before but in that same spot when he found it. It was like a minefield of protruding nails."

"What did Hector find?"

"It was strange. I'd heard of it before but I couldn't understand why it was there."

"What was there? What are you talking about?"

He looked up at me.

"Most of the wiring was in terrible condition like I said. Knob and tube wiring dating back to the forties, but there were sections that were new. Very recently repaired or replaced."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"Not really unless it's done correctly which it wasn't. It looked to me as though someone was crossing wires knowing it would cause a fire. I couldn't confirm it but Hector's the electrician and he agreed with me."

"So why did you continue? Why didn't you stop right there?" I dropped the peach pit in the trash then ran warm water over my sticky fingers.

"I had pretty much decided that although this job could have brought a chunk of money, it wasn't worth the headaches. We'd install the security systems. The buildings would burn down and since we were the last ones to touch them, we'd be held responsible. Rangemen would essentially foot the bill to repair and rebuild all of the Daniels' holdings. I didn't want to take that chance. I let the guys go home and I headed to the Daniels to give them the bad news."

"Did you get to tell them or even hint to them that you weren't going to do the job?"

"I tried. Lawrence brushed me off but Olivia was angry."

"What did she say?"

"She said I owed her."

"Owed her what?"

"Steph listen. Les told me he'd come with me again. He warned me. I refused. I thought it was my responsibility as the owner. I called the Daniels and left a message with the housekeeper that I was on my way to talk to them."

"Warn you about what?"

He continued as though talking to himself.

"I should have listened to Les. He knew what I should have known all along. He tried to tell me but I wouldn't hear it. I didn't think she'd hold a grudge for that long."

He pushed the plate that still held most of his meal then began abusing his water bottle again after emptying it. I felt badly for that poor label as he tore it to shreds.

"Godammit. My past just keeps kicking me in the ass no matter how hard I try to move forward."

"Ranger. You're confusing me."

He headed for the dining room so I followed him.

"That's the part I never told you about."

He stood by the window staring out into the abyss as the moon was about to make its appearance. I stood beside him with my arms wrapped around his waist. He squeezed me gently and kissed the top of my head then turned me in his arms.

"Why do you love me? I'm such a fuck-up."

"No you aren't. Stop it." I took him by the hand. "Come on, big fella. Finish your story. You can tell me anything, you know that, don't you?"

"I love you Stephanie. I've never been so in love with anyone in my life. I want you to know that."

He sat on the edge of the couch and I snuggled in beside him. It took a few minutes before he got up the courage to continue.

"It was a long time ago. A very long time ago, in another life. I was a different person then. Too old to listen to reason but too young to really know what I was doing and realize the consequences of my actions. Like most of the guys my age about to leave for the military, I drank too much and I did way too much experimenting with drugs. And woman? They were like, I don't know, condems. Use them once, then toss them out with the trash. Their faces were just a blur."

"Well, that's not very nice."

"No it wasn't."

I couldn't imagine Ranger being that inconsiderate of women. He's always been so acutely mindful of my feelings, but, of curse, I didn't know him them. He'd changed a lot. He'd matured. So I thought. So I'd hoped.

"Does this have anything to do with Rachel and what happened to her?"

"Sort of." He brushed a curl from my face. "Steph, if you asked me to make a list of all of the women I'd slept with during that time, I couldn't do it if my life depended on it. I was in a constant drunken stupor or high. I barely knew my own name or where I was at times."

"I'm going out on limb here but I'm guessing that Olivia was a notch on your headboard."

"That's what she said when I got to the house that second night. She was angry that I couldn't remember her. She'd changed her name. Christ, how was I supposed to …? And her face?" He made a circle around his face with hand. "What's up with that?"

I shrugged. I couldn't imagine anyone doing that to themselves deliberately and paying for it to boot.

He leaned his head back and slid down into the soft cushion. "Jesus, Steph. There were so many, like I said. Then she told me that I owed her and to take another look. We'd discuss it again at dinner the following night."

"At the club?"

"I think she had other plans. More intimate plans."

"So Les knew her? He remembered her?"

"Yes. Apparently he'd actually slept with her."

"Did you sleep with her?"

"Honestly? I don't remember. I may have but I doubt it. That's probably what pissed her off. What I do remember of her, she was a snob and high maintenance. She was looking for a husband. I wasn't interested."

"Did you cave to her demands because she threatened to blackmail you by telling me about your affair?"

"It was no affair. You can trust me on that. But no. I wasn't afraid of that and I told her that you knew all about my past and that you accepted it. There were no secrets between us."

"Then why?"

"Because I felt that maybe I really did owe her for what I'd done to her. I'm sorry I never told you about her and that conversation. I was wrong to keep it from you."

"Do you remember her now?"

"Not really. Just what I told you because Les reminded me. The rest is just a vague impression I have of an old nightmare."

I pushed off of his chest, then sat straight up and spoke my mind. Where I got the courage to ask those questions, I'll never know.

"I'm sorry but I have to ask. Did you sleep with her that night? Are you having an affair with her, Ranger. Like she said? Is that baby yours?"

I wanted to clear the air, and read his face. He could lie in the right settings better that child, but never to me. He couldn't even lie to me about where he'd hidden my Christmas presents.

"No Stephanie. I did not sleep with her that night or any other. I'm not having an affair with her. I swear to you on my grandfather's grave. I never touched her. Never. Please. You have to believe me."

I chose to believe him. Not because it was easy but because, well, because.

"Tell me about what happened tonight. What has upset you so much?"

"There's more I have to tell you before I get into that."

More secrets? I couldn't wait.

"Continue."

"I got a call from a guy named Miquel Santiago a few weeks back. He said he was investigating Olivia and her husband for insurance fraud."

"The Hispanic guy she referred to in her message tonight?"

"I think so."

"But Olivia said that he called …"

"She's lying, Steph. She can't even keep her own lies straight."

"Where was this guy calling from?"

"He didn't say when I asked him. I assumed at first that he was representing an insurance company or FBI. I later had my doubts about his legitimacy."

"You didn't push him?"

"I tried but he kept talking like a recording. He was giving me lots of good intel at first, so I listened."

"So he was a phony?"

"Did you check him out?"

"Hector did. He didn't find anything?"

"I don't know that for certain. His name didn't appear on any insurance company's roster of insurance fraud investigators but he could have been an independent contractor. He could work for the AG's office or the feds like I said."

"What abut his name? Did you find a Miquel …?"

"Santiago."

"Miguel Santiago. Did you find him listed anywhere?"

"Babe. There are a zillion Hispanic men named Miquel Santiago in this country. It would take a lifetime to sort them all out."

"Okay. So what did he want from you?"

"He wanted me to take the Daniels on as clients and pretend to work with them."

"To set them up?"

"Yes. Exactly."

"Did you agree?"

"I told him I'd think about it until he said something else." He hesitated.

"And…"

"He told me that I should get friendly with Olivia. Pretend that I was interested."

"Pretend you were interested? That's insane."

Okay, where was this conversation headed.

"Yes it is." He pushed be from him gently and looked into my eyes. "But I didn't Babe, I promise. I didn't. The scheme got more and more bizarre as he spoke so I hung up on him. Then I talked to Tank, Les and Bobby about it."

"But not me?"

"No. I should have. I know that now but I thought it would upset you. I was wrong to keep it from you. I'm sorry."

"Alright. What did the guys have to say?"

"Luckily I'd taped most of the conversation. They suggested that I let Hector listen to it in case he recognized the man's voice."

"Did he?"

"He said he didn't."

"Tell me more about what this guy said to you."

"At first I believed him. Like I said. He told me that the Daniels had hustled several insurance companies over the years filing false claims but could never catch them. They'd get their ducks in a row then show up with an arrest warrant but the Daniels' would be gone. They were difficult to track because they kept changing their names."

"Why'd he come to you?"

"He said that Rangemen has a reputation for getting the job done, quickly and efficiently."

"So, tell me. What kind of stuff did they do? The Daniels."

"The usual. Petty stuff at first. They'd buy a house and a homeowner insurance policy and then have a small fire or theft. Nothing big enough to draw a lot of attention but enough to make a buck. Again, because they kept changing their names, they didn't show up on any radar anywhere. They tried the liability scam, where someone deliberately gets rear ended then sues the unknowing party that hit them. You've heard of that right?"

I nodded.

"Well, it seems that someone was killed, maybe an accomplice so they apparently had to move on to other things. He seemed to think that Olivia and Lawrence weren't alone in this. That there are others involved but he wasn't specific."

"So did you agree to con them?"

"Never got the chance. Like I said, I hung up on him when he asked me to make nice with Olivia. He never gave me his number."

"Go back to tonight."

"As soon as I parked my car, something felt out of place. The front porch light was out which I found odd since she was supposedly expecting me. But there was a light on in the room I assumed to be their bedroom on the second floor. I could see a yellow ring around the sheet of plywood over the window. I knocked but got no reply so I was about to head back and come home when the overhead porch light flicked on and the door opened. Olivia was standing in the doorway with the hallway light at her back. She was wearing a silk kimono type of robe. Like the one I bought you in Japan last year."

Okay. That was going in the trash.

"That light didn't work the night we were there."

"No. It didn't. You're right. I'd forgotten about that." He contemplated that thought for a second then continued. "She had a glass of wine in her hand. I wondered what she was up to when she backed away from the door and swept her arm for me to enter the foyer. "Got my message I see. Here to make a deal?" She asked me. I shouldn't have gone in. Not alone. She said she was expecting me and handed me a glass of wine that she'd already poured from the bottle on the table by the door then handed that to me too. She said that Lawrence was out but that he'd be back in a minute and that we should wait for him. I took the glass and the bottle, to be polite, and followed her to the front room. She sat in a seductive manner allowing her robe to slide open slightly."

"Really? Trying to seduce you?"

I thought back to the night at the country club.

"Didn't work. I'm not interested. I told her that. It really pissed her off."

He raked his hand through his hair.

"I know I should never have gone over there alone, Stephanie, and that I should have taken off immediately. But, since I was there, I decided to settle the matter then get the hell out."

"I heard Lawrence come in from the back door that led outside to the garages. She closed her robe and sat up very lady like suddenly then stood to greet him with a hug and a kiss when he came through the doorway. She handed him her glass, which he downed in one gulp while she filled another for herself. I thought I might be able to reason with him. I tried to talk to him but he wouldn't listen. He couldn't listen. Lawrence was already drunk as a skunk. I had rested my wine glass on the coffee table earlier without touching it. She handed him my glass then filled another one and placed it front of me. She never drank from any glass. Even her own."

"Do you think she spiked the wine?"

He shrugged then took a breath before he continued.

"Don't know. Again I tried to talk to both of them. To try to get them to understand that I wanted nothing to do with whatever scheme they were cooking up. I told them I wouldn't go to the police if they just left us alone. Olivia wouldn't have any of it and Lawrence had long since passed out. I don't know how he managed to drive his car home."

"Maybe he wasn't really out."

"Don't know that for sure either. I don't remember seeing his car in the driveway but I can't honestly say that I didn't see it either."

He shrugged.

"I got up to leave. I knew I was wasting my time. She told me again that if I didn't do the job for her that she'd tell you everything about our past together. I told her I didn't care. That was years ago and that you already knew what my life was like before we met. Then she said that she would make something up. Something to cause us to break up. She said that she'd already told you we were having an affair."

"When? I've never really spoken to her other than the night at the club and over the phone in your presence."

"She knew that you'd listen to the message and that it would upset you. She left the message for you, not me."

"Where did she get your number? She called on your private number remember?"

"I don't know. I never gave it to her. It's for you and Julie and _Abuela_. I don't think I've ever given it to my mother.

"So, the phone call tonight was for my benefit? To anger me?"

"Yes. I told her you'd never believe it. That you trusted me."

"I gather she didn't take it very well."

"No. She became enraged. Told me she'd see to it that you'd believe her and not me. She had her ways. There'd be more phone calls. Then…"

He hesitated.

"Then what happened?"

"She attacked me telling me that she'd tell everyone her own version of the story. The one she was going to make up."

"What? How did she attack you?"

He gingerly lifted his t-shirt.

"Oh my God! The scratches? She did that?"

My fingers gently touched the torn and bloody flesh on his chest.

"Yes."

He looked embarrassed.

"Ranger. You're a trained killer. You couldn't fend her off?"

"Steph. She caught me off guard. I never expected it."

"But she …"

"Listen, she admitted that the baby wasn't mine, it was someone else's. Someone she's been seeing behind Lawrence's back apparently but she wanted him to think it was mine. She wants money."

"Money? What money?"

Ranger and I were comfortable, money wise. We went without much but we were certainly not what I'd have called multi-millionaires.

"Did you ever get to tell her that you weren't going to do the job regardless of her blackmail attempt?"

"Yes. But there's more."

How much more could there possibly be?

"She said that if that wouldn't work, she'd try a different tact."

He stood up before he continued more embarrassed than before.

"Ranger?"

I followed him as he headed back to the dining room but stopped him before he got there.

"What did she do?"

"She tore her robe open exposing her naked body beneath then grabbed my hands and raked them down over her breasts. I pulled my hands back quickly."

He was holding his hands out as he might have held them then.

"She messed her hair grabbing her own throat tightly then screamed. Daniel woke up and tried to get to her but tripped and hit his head on the coffee table. 'Get out. Get away from me.' she screamed then pushed me out the door slamming it behind me. I heard Daniel call out to her again then the lock clicked."

"I'd still like to know how she got your personal number?"

"I don't know. I certainly never gave it to her. Very few people have that number. The fewer the better."

We'd have to look into that. Maybe there was a leak in Rangemen. It had happened before. It could happen again. I thought of Raoul. Was he the Hispanic man calling himself Miguel who had called Ranger?

Once Ranger had settled down I said, "Maybe she'll give up and this will all blow over eventually."

I tried to sound upbeat.

"God. I hope so. But I have a very bad feeling about this."

He dropped his head onto my shoulder and we sat peacefully just holding each other.

"Ranger?"

"Yeah, Babe?"

"Make love to me."

"What? Really?" He pulled away then looked at me. "Even after everything I just told you?"

"No. Because of everything you just told me."

* * *

**Chapter 15: Chapter 15**

* * *

CH – 15 - Detective

The following morning as the birds sang their sweet song outside our seventh story bedroom window, while my handsome husband kissed my neck after another love making marathon, whereas he now had new scratches, scratches that I'd made, the house phone rang.

"Ranger. The phone is ringing."

"Let it ring. I'm busy." He was heading south yet again.

"Ranger. No one ever calls the house phone at this time of the day except the control room. It must be important."

I thought of Olivia's call the night before but I knew she never got up until noon. She had bragged about it.

He propped himself up on his elbows.

"What's more important? More sexual debauchery with the love of my life or the fate of the world?" He was smiling again. His words blowing the hair hanging over his face

"As much as I'd prefer the former, I fear the latter. Answer the damned phone, Batman."

He reached across me to the small beige phone on the nightstand beside the bed. It was a compromise. He wanted black. I wanted pink.

"Get you later, Babe."

He pulled the received to his ear.

"What." He yawned then rubbed his forehead. "So? What do they want? – Me? What do they want with me? – Are you kidding? – Now? – They're on their way upstairs?"

I heard a hard banging at the door.

"Ranger. It's Eddie." Came a familiar voice from the other side of heavy fire door.

"Ranger. What's going on?" I asked.

Ranger had gotten up and was tugging at his sweats as I grabbed my fluffy white terrycloth bathrobe.

"The police are here to talk to me about the Daniels."

"Really? Do you think they're onto their game?"

"I doubt they'd insist on coming upstairs for that."

"What if she called them because of last night?"

"Don't know Babe but I have a suspicion we're about to find out."

I pointed to his chest, and the roadmap it now harbored.

"Better put a shirt on over that."

"Good idea."

He said as he slid the t-shirt he'd worn the night before over his head. We left the comfort and safety of our bedroom aiming for the foyer.

More banging at the door only more persistent.

"Ricardo Manoso? Are you in there? New Jersey State PD. We need to talk to you. Open this door or we're going to open it for you."

"Coming. Just a minute." Ranger called out.

Ranger was tying the waistband of his pants as I followed him like a shadow while I knotted the belt to my robe. Ranger unbolted then opened the door.

"Sorry. We just woke up." With a strong hand, he ran it over his face then his disheveled mane.

We watched as Eddie, a menacing looking detective and two other uniformed policemen filled the doorway.

Eddie was my cousin's husband that I'd known since we were kids. The other officers were new to the force as far as I could tell. I could have sworn one of them still had zits while the other had nothing more than peach fuzz on his chin. Suddenly I felt old. Eddie spoke first.

"Sorry Ranger. Can we come in?"

"Of course."

Ranger and I backed from the door as the four men filed in.

Detective Matthews had taken over Joe Morelli's cases a few years back when he was arrested for raping me when I was a teen. He'd since transferred to the New Jersey State Police department. I'd only met him once before. I didn't like him then and I didn't think I was going to like him any better that day. We hadn't hit it off very well. Apparently he blamed me for Joe's untimely demise.

He glanced around the room then returned his gaze toward Ranger. The baby cops stood to block the door with their feet apart, one hand on their batons and the other on their unsnapped firearms. Eddie looked uncomfortable.

"Ranger this is Detective Matthews, and Officer Reynolds and Officer Cummings."

The officers standing at ease nodded at their introduction.

"Sorry we have no coffee to offer you. Like I said, we just got up."

Detective Mathews spoke next.

"Nice place you have here Mr. Manoso." Detective Matthews said as he made himself at home.

"Thank you. We like it. What's this all about? What can we do for you Officers?"

"Eddie. What's going on?"

I asked, feeling a little braver and more protective of my husband as I watched Officer Cumming's fingers gently brushing his handcuffs.

"Steph…" Eddie began before Detective Matthews overrode him.

"You're here only as a courtesy to your cousin and the department, Officer. I'll handle this."

He cleared this throat as he pulled out his little notepad.

"Where were you last night Mr. Manoso?"

"Ranger. Please."

"This isn't a social visit. I'll stick to Mr. Manoso if you don't mind."

"Okay. Suit yourself but what is this about?"

Ranger folded his arms across his chest and puffed it out. His biceps bulged at the strain.

"Just answer the question."

Detective Matthews reminded me of a tenacious Detective Columbo only neater, as he flipped the pages of his two by three inch spiral notebook.

"Your name, date of birth and social security number. For the record." His smile was cold.

"Ricardo Manoso, August 12, 1973 and my social security number is none of your business."

"Do you actually have one?" He chuckled.

"Of course I do."

"Are you a naturalized US citizen, Mr. Manoso?"

"No I am not."

"No? Interesting. So you have no paperwork?" Was this WWII?

"I was born in Newark, New Jersey. That's part of the United States so no naturalization was necessary." His tone was mildly sarcastic.

"Really? We'll see about that social security number. And you?" He pointed his pen at me.

"Babe."

Ranger nodded his approval.

"Stephanie. Stephanie Manoso. October … Uh…" Damn. I was so nervous I'd forgotten my own birthday. "Ranger?"

Ranger filled in the blanks for me as Detective Matthews cocked his head.

He then looked at me critically.

"Don't I know you?" He tapped on his chin with his pen. "Stephanie. Stephanie Plum. Was your maiden name Plum, Mrs. Manoso?"

"Yes it was." I wondered where he was going. I'd find out soon enough.

"Hmm. Weren't you engaged to Officer Joseph Morelli at one time?"

"I was but that was several years ago. He's deceased now."

"Yes. Yes. I heard about that. Very tragic. Very Tragic. He was killed after a trial of some kind. Shot dead on the court house steps."

"He raped me Detective Matthews. I'm certain you're well aware of that."

"I thought he was found not guilty. Did I misread the police accounts?"

Bogus dismay covered his face.

"He was. I had no control over the outcome of that debacle. It was later determined that the jury had been …"

"Really?" He said very uninterested in what I had to say.

"Why are you here Detective? To discuss my wife's past? Don't play innocent. I know you're fully aware of all of the circumstances concerning that trial."

He looked at Ranger with fire in his eyes with no intention of responding to him.

Detective Matthews was of average height, dark hair and eyes and wore his suit like it had been made specifically for him. I wondered how a cop could afford such a luxury. Most cops, especially high ranking state cops make a decent wage, but they're far from being over paid. Was he on the take as Joe was rumored to have been?

His navy blue necktie was new, thick and well made. It was held in place with a delicate gold chain that swung gently when he moved. His hand rested deliberately on his hip when he wasn't taking notes, displaying the holstered service revolver tucked under his arm, assuring us that he was armed and dangerous.

He strolled casually through the foyer, as though he was there for a cocktail party, or dinner and drinks perhaps, while peeking into the dining room and living room. He took a few steps toward the kitchen touching stuff. Our stuff like it was covered in horse manure. Our bedroom door was still open with the sheets, pillows and comforter askew. He made no comments as he scanned the rooms but he stopped suddenly then returned.

"And? I asked you about your whereabouts last night Mr. Manoso."

"He was …"

I was stopped mid sentence.

"Get her out of here."

Detective Matthews barked at the officers. They began to walk toward me. Ranger stood protectively in front of me.

"Excuse me but that's my wife you're talking to and this is our home. I agreed to speak with you and invited you in but I've yet to see any reciprocation on your part. Now, unless you're willing to tell me what this is all about, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I know my rights, Detective Matthews."

"Oh yes. I'm sure you do. From what I've heard you've seen the inside of a jail cell once of twice yourself in the past, haven't you?"

"Eddie. What's going on?" I said to my cousin in frustration.

"Matthews. He's right. You know he is." Eddie said to the detective.

"Alright. Do you know a man named Daniels. Lawrence Daniels. And his wife Olivia Daniels"

"Yes. We've met."

"In what capacity are you acquainted with the Daniels?"

"Lawrence called my company and asked us to quote installing security systems on his properties. Why?"

"So you work for him?"

"No. I work for myself. He would be a client."

"Okay. Have it your way. He's your client."

"No. He isn't."

"I'm sorry. Can you explain that? Either he is or he isn't a client."

Captain Matthews pretended to be confused but the look on his face was pure loathing.

"He requested a quote but his buildings were in such poor condition that we decided to pass on taking the job."

"You said 'we'. Who is 'we'?"

"My team."

"And your team consists of …?"

He made a rolling motion with his hand for Ranger to continue.

"Look. Before we continue this conversation any further. I demand to know what this is about."

"Answer the question Mr. Manoso." He demanded.

"My core team consists of myself, Tank or Pierre Thibodeau, Lester Santos, Bobby Brown, and my wife here, Stephanie Manoso."

"Core team?"

"Yes. We five are the owners."

"Anyone else?" He jotted down all of the names.

"Yes. My secondary team is made up of Hector Ramirez, Harold Rutherford, Calvin Walker, Vince Martinelli and Junior or Timothy McCann. They aren't core members, but they're valued and trusted employees who have been with me since the beginning."

"How long ago did you start this business?"

"Approximately ten years. I'd have to check the exact date, if you need that. We started out very small but grew quickly."

"Is there a lot of demand for what you do?"

"Actually, yes there is."

"Do tell. Any more _team_ members?" He emphasized the word _team_.

"We have four locations and over fifty employees. Do you want a list of all of them for your little notebook? It may take a few minutes to get that together."

Detective Matthews was not amused.

"No. Mr. Manoso, only the employees involved in the quoting process of the Daniels' properties."

Ranger rubbed his forehead.

"I believe those are the only men involved. They went out to the sites with me to take measurements and conduct the inspections."

I tugged at his arm. "Didn't Manny go to?"

"Jesus Steph. I don't remember." He said to me then to Detective Matthews. "I can get you a comprehensive list of exactly who has been involved. Some of my people may have gotten help with credit checks or background checks or title or lien searches without my immediate knowledge. Again I have to ask what this is about."

Detective Matthews leaned up against the credenza as he fingered Ranger's Porsche keys.

"Yours?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. Let's play a little game, Mr. Manoso, shall we? You tell me where you were last night and I'll tell you why we're here." He got right in Ranger's face and poked him in the chest. "Oh and if you lawyer up, these nice officers are going to give you a pair of shiny new bracelets called handcuffs and haul your lying ass to the police station in front of your wife and your employees. Is that clear?"

Ranger debated the outcome of one against four cops and decided that the odds were stacked against him. He was about to reply when I spoke up.

"He was here with me all night." I finally blurted out.

Detective Matthews threw daggers at me with his eyes but I stood firm.

"He came upstairs after work. We had dinner then, well, we went to bed early and you know."

I pretended to blush, although it came naturally, as I established my husband's alibi.

"Can you prove that?"

Ranger spoke up. "No. Can you prove that I wasn't here in my own home in bed with my wife? For that matter can you prove where you were last night and who you were with?"

I was afraid that Ranger had crossed the line with that comment but Detective Matthews rolled on.

"According to Olivia Daniels, you were at her home last night. You accosted her. Tried to rape her."

"That's a lie." Ranger protested.

Ranger managed to regroup quickly and keep his cool although his fists were clenched.

"Really? There's a witness." He flipped several pages in his notebook. "According to her housekeeper a Mrs. Margaret Dominique, Mr. Manoso, you arrived at the Daniels' home around 9PM. She said that she found that odd since you normally arrived around 1AM. She also said she was embarrassed to say it, but she thought that something may have been going on between the two of you."

He looked at me for my reaction before he continued. Luckily I'd been checking a chipped nail at that moment.

"You and Mrs. Daniels had drinks during your visit. Wine you provided. Wine you apparently spiked. We're testing the bottle and glasses now. You came on to her but then changed the subject and discussed the job you'd quoted and refused to perform when the housekeeper, Mrs. Dominigue, appeared after she heard Mrs. Daniels shouting at you to leave."

"That's a lie. Mrs. Dominique is making that up, I never… "

"So you were there." Bingo! Matthews had just hit the moving duck with his air rifle. Shit!

Ranger backpeddled quickly.

"No. My wife told you I was here with her."

"So you're saying Mrs. Dominique is lying? What reason would she have to lie?"

"Yes I'm saying that she's lying. She works for the woman for crissake."

Detective Matthews continued.

"According to the housekeeper," He flipped the small lined pages of his miniature notepad again. "She overheard the beginning of the conversation when you first arrived. Mrs. Daniels was upset. You argued about your affair. Some weeks back, apparently, is when it began. The night you first met Mr. & Mrs. Daniels at their home. She said she was going to tell your wife."

He looked at me to see my reaction again to his comments about the affair. He got none.

"Was Mrs. Daniels there alone at her home that first night some weeks ago? When the affair began?"

"I met with Lawrence only that night. Mrs. Daniels was out with friends. I never met with her. And I'm not having an affair with Olivia Daniels."

"You never saw her at all that night?"

"I didn't say that. I saw her but only for a second from across the room. At least I assumed that it was her. She came in and ran up the stairs. Lawrence later spoke to her on the intercom. I heard her voice but never spoke to her myself."

"She said that you'd made a deal with her that night that despite your findings you'd agree to install the systems if she'd consent to having sex with you since you were old friends."

"She's lying. I never had sex with her."

"Are you aware that Olivia Daniels is pregnant?"

"She's a married woman. That's her choice."

He kept looking at me for my reaction. I tried to stay calm but the lies were difficult to swallow.

"She says the baby is yours. That is was conceived that night after her husband went to bed and you returned. I believe she said was the first time. One of many to come. She said you wanted to continue where you'd left off twenty years ago ." He flipped another page of his notebook. "You were an item back then but you left her for another woman. A woman whom you married because she was also pregnant with your child. You're a busy man, Mr. Manoso."

"Yes. I married Rachel and yes she was pregnant. Mrs. Daniels is being spiteful. I barely remember her."

"That's a nice thing to say about an old flame." He said with a condescending tone.

"I never had a sexual relationship with Olivia. Not then, not a few months ago, nor am I having a sexual relationship with her now. There is no relationship. She was a prospective client. Nothing more."

I considered adding that her name was actually Rejeanne Michaud not Olivia Daniels and Ranger sensed it so he squeezed my hand tightly as a sign to keep quiet. No need to feed this fire. It was burning brightly all by itself and didn't need anymore fuel.

"That's not how she tells the story but let's get back to last night, shall we? When she refused to submit to your advances, you attacked her and tried to rape her."

"What? Is that why you're here? She's accusing me of raping her?"

"No. Not yet. You're off the hook for the moment. She refuses to press charges. But we're on our way back there. We're planning on having another nice long chat with Mrs. Daniels and Mrs. Dominique about your current and past relationship with Mrs. Daniels."

"This is insane." Ranger mumbled under his breath. "I'm telling you that I have never had, nor am I now having a relationship with that woman. I'm happily married to a wonderful woman." He tightened his grip on me. "Why would I stray?"

"Can't answer that question Mr. Manoso. Men stray for all types of reasons."

He looked down his nose at me causing me to become self-conscious of my messy hair. I brushed it back with my hand and tucked it behind my ear.

"But that's not really why we're here at the moment. Mrs. Dominique says that when Mr. Daniels arrived home, he caught you trying to rape his wife. He tried to stop you but you fought with him then attacked him too."

"What? I never touched him." Ranger said as he looked at me then the detective. Again, he was blowing his cover.

"You struck him about the head." Detective Matthews added as he read form his notebook.

"I did no such thing. I wasn't there."

Ranger couldn't say anything about Lawrence hitting his head on the coffee table because he'd lied about his whereabouts. He'd already slipped when he said he hadn't touched Lawrence.

"He's missing. Mr. Manoso. When Mrs. Daniels came to, there was blood on the living room rug. Her husband was gone. Where did you hide the body? Did you kill him then or did you go back later?"

"How many times do I have to repeat myself? I wasn't there." Ranger's voice low and deep. That vein in his neck was beginning to pulse.

Detective Matthews continued reading from his notes as though Ranger was making no comments at all.

"According to Mrs. Dominique, you left after 10PM leaving Mrs. Daniels passed out on the couch where she found her. Did you use a rufie to subdue her? Is that what you put in the wine? How convenient that you'd brought that with you. No premeditation involved at all."

I could see holes in Olivia's account of that night already. She was a liar and a bad one at that. She couldn't even keep her own damned story straight.

Detective Matthews turned as though he was going to leave but spun back around.

"Do you own a gun Mr. Manoso?"

"Yes. Of course I do. I own several."

"Do you have a weapon on your person at the moment?"

"No. I do not."

Ranger had left his gun in the drawer of the nightstand beside the bed. Hell, he slept naked. Where the hell would he have kept a gun?

"Do you have a license to carry a fire arm?"

"Absolutely. As does my wife."

"May I see your licenses?"

"They're in my wallet in my bedroom. I'll get them."

Ranger turned to walk away. Detective Matthews grabbed his arm.

"Mrs. Manoso. Would you be kind enough to get the licenses for your husband please?"

"Steph?"

Ranger had actually left his wallet on coffee table. He carried a copy of my license along with his and I did the same. We never knew when the situation might call for it. This was one of those times.

"By the way, Mr. Manoso, can you explain where you got those nasty scratches on your chest?" He tugged at the collar of Ranger's t-shirt. The scratches began just above his collar bone, on his throat. "I understand you have scratches on your back too? Can you explain those please?"

I handed Detective Matthews the licenses. He scanned them dismissively then handed them back to me.

"It's simple Detective Matthews. The scratches on his back are the result of his crawling around one of the Daniels' attics checking the wiring during his initial property inspections. They're well healed now. As for the scratches on his chest, well, I did that. We get a little crazy sometimes, my husband and me. You can't tell me that you and your wife… You do have a wife don't you? A woman. A special woman that you share intimate moments with? Doesn't love making get a little out of hand at times?"

I passed my hand over Ranger's chest over the scratches as I curled my fingers and pretended to scratch him again. Eddie snorted under his hand but Detective Matthews caught him, not a bit amused. Eddie coughed and picked up a small marble statue of an entwined naked man and woman that sat on the credenza. Ranger bought it for me on our eventual honeymoon in Paris.

"So then let me get this straight, Mr. Manoso. According to your wife, you were home all evening having wild crazy out of control sex? Am I right?"

A righteous smirk covered his face.

"Yes sir." Ranger said proudly as he held me close.

"Do you have any matching marks, Mrs. Manoso?"

"I don't have to answer that. That's totally inappropriate."

I pulled my robe tighter hiding the mark Ranger had made on my breast the night before. I was angry. This whole thing was a disaster looking to happen and it was pissing me off.

"My apologies, Mrs. Manoso. I was out of line."

Matthews bowed a slight _mi culpa_. Eddie shrugged his shoulders then waved goodbye as he pushed on the fire door.

Matthews turned again pointing to the elevator as the two officers backed up. The kid with the zits pushed the down button. With his back still to us, he continued.

"I wouldn't leave town if I was you, Mr. Manoso. I'll get to the bottom of this then I'll be back with an arrest warrant and another one to search your premises. Your home and your business and all of your very expensive cars."

The elevator dinged then I heard the whooshing sound of the doors sliding open. Matthews flipped the Porsche keys in his hand again, tossed them in the air then turned to look at us before he dropped them.

"You can count on it. Oh and I'd give my lawyer a jingle too. You're going to need his help to get you out of this mess." As they entered the elevator and the door began to close, he added. "We'll find the body, Mr. Manoso and when we do." He looked at the ceiling and the walls. "This will all disappear. Poof!"

The doors shut magically as though rehearsed, then the lift hummed its descent.

Ranger leaned his head on the door frame and sighed. "God. Will it ever end?" He pushed off and walked toward me. "You were great Babe. Thanks." He headed for the bathroom as I stood with my arms folded, my back on the breakfast bar. "I'm going to take a shower. Want to join me?" I didn't answer. His bare feet squeaked on the tile floor as he turned to look at me. "Steph? Aren't you coming?" He reached for me but I sidestepped his grasp. "Stephanie? What's wrong?"

"Thanks? Thanks? That's all you have to say is 'thanks'? I just lied through my teeth and embarrassed myself beyond words to a bunch of cops, my cousin included, to save your ass and that's all you can say to me is, 'thanks'?"

My arms were flailing and waving like a crazy woman.

"Why are you so upset?"

"Ranger. You weren't here last night. You were at the Daniels with Olivia, remember? You left in a panic after she called you on your personal phone, I might add. Then you came home an absolute basket case after spending the evening with her. Now you're covered in more scratches. Scratches that she caused. You want to know why I'm upset? Are you out of your mind, Ranger? What do you expect me to think is going on behind my back?"

"Stephanie calm down. I told you everything last night. I swear. I thought you believed me."

"I want the truth Ranger and I want it now." I stamped my foot. "What really happened last night at the Daniels? More specifically what happened the night of our anniversary? The night you didn't come home? The night you were with her?" I swallowed hard before I spoke again. "Did you sleep with her, Ranger? Did you have sex with someone else on our anniversary?"

"What are you saying, Stephanie? Are you accusing me of cheating on you?"

"No. I simply have questions. Things aren't adding up."

"Things aren't adding up because Olivia is lying. She said she was going to pound a wedge between us. Don't let her do this."

I glared at him as tears stung. Then asked softly.

"Ranger did you kill Lawrence?"

"What? Do you really think I'd do that?"

"Ranger, just answer me dammit. I can take it."

My voice had taken on a wavering sound.

"I resent what you're implying. I've never been unfaithful to you Stephanie. Never. Do you hear me? Never. I did not sleep with that woman and I most certainly did not kill Lawrence Daniels. I'd tell you if I did."

"You may have slept with her once."

"Jesus Christ Stephanie. That was twenty years ago. I was probably drunk at the time and her too. I usually was whenever I was on leave then. Hell, I didn't even remember her. I told you that. How many times do I have to defend myself?"

"She remembered you."

"Lucky me." He snapped back.

"Don't use that tone with me."

"What do you want from me Stephanie? I told you the truth. Either you believe me or you don't."

"I didn't say I didn't believe you, it's just that it all sounds… fishy."

"Fishy? So you think I'm lying? Fine." He picked up the phone receiver and handed it to me. "Call Detective Matthews and tell him you lied to protect me. Tell him I was out carousing all night with Olivia Daniels. It's been going on for months, years. Hell, tell him I slept with Mrs. Dominique too then throw Lawrence into the mix as well, why don't you?"

"Ranger, stop it. You're being ridiculous."

"Am I Stephanie? Am I the one who's being ridiculous? You just accused me of lying to you and sleeping with someone else then eliminating her husband to cover it up. How do you expect me to react?"

I had no answer for him.

"Great. Thanks for the vote of confidence. Next time I get myself into this kind of mess, don't do me any favors. Keep your mouth shut and let me drown on my own."

With his hand on the door latch he yanked the door open then stood in the hallway.

"Where are you going?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes it matters. I want to know where you're going."

"Any place you aren't." He headed down the stairs, bare footed in his sweats and t-shirt. I slammed the door.

"What have I done?" I said to myself as I leaned up against the still vibrating door then slid to floor in a miserable puddle of tears.

After I'd had a good cry, I showered then dressed. As I left the safety of our bedroom ready to get to work, Ranger was coming through the door. He was soaked with sweat, his pants so wet they were barely legal. His shirt was hung over his shoulders. He was out of breath.

"Hi." I said carefully.

"Hi."

"Where did you go?"

"Park. I went running to blow off some steam."

I looked at his bloody bare feet leaving oddly shaped foot prints on the white tile floor.

"Your feet." I pointed. "They're bleeding."

"No big deal. I'll have Bobby check them after I shower. I may have stepped on a few sticks or rocks." He started to walk past me. "Excuse me." I took hold of his arm.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't doubt you. I should know better. You've never lied to me before. I overreacted. This is all too much for me."

"I'm sorry too. But Steph, please believe me. I am not attracted to that woman at all. I have you. You're all I want. I know how funny it looks, but trust me I didn't touch her. She's jealous of what we have. She wants it for herself. And I didn't kill Lawrence He was alive when I left the house. Drunk as a skunk but alive. I heard him calling to Olivia just before she shut the door in my face. I told you that last night. Maybe he fell again or he and Olivia fought."

"Did you see the housekeeper? "

"No. Yes. But only briefly out of the corner of my eye."

"Why would she lie to the police?"

"Like I told Detective Matthews, she works for the Daniels. Why wouldn't she want to protect her job?"

"I guess so." The bloody footprints were getting more defined. "You better go wash that off. I'll call Bobby while you're taking a shower."

"Thank you." He started to walk away. "I love you, Mrs. Manoso. I mean that."

"I love you too, Mr. Plum."

He smiled. I used to call him Mr. Plum right after we were married but I hadn't called him that in a very long time.

Once Ranger had showered and Bobby had cleaned and bandaged his feet, we both went downstairs to our respective offices.

* * *

**Chapter 16: Chapter 16**

* * *

CH – 16 - Determination

Ranger was right that night in telling me that my inbox was full. Wanting to delay my neglected duties a little while longer, I locked my door and walked into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. Ranger's cup was still hanging from the rack so I filled it then took it to him.

"Knock, knock." With overburdened hands, I pushed the door open with my behind. "Coffee?"

"Absolutely."

I sat on the couch across from his desk and sipped at the black liquid gold in my hands.

"Glad you're here. I've given it a lot of thought. We should call Hunter."

"Isn't he your business attorney? How can he help you with this?"

"Yes he is but there are several other attorneys in his firm. He can recommend the one we should talk to."

"Great. Give him a call. Set up an appointment. This problem isn't going to go away."

He pointed to a yellow legal pad of paper covered with his handwriting.

"I made some notes about my meetings with the Daniels so I can get my facts straight in my head."

"Good idea."

"Will you go over them with me before we talk to anyone? Just to be sure that I haven't overlooked anything?"

Ranger punched in Hunter's number then waited.

"Sure."

"Wilson, Burroughs, Michelson, Smith and Bloomberg Legal Services. Good Morning. May we help you?" Came a soft voice I knew to belong to Jack Bloomberg's newest young wife Jackie Bloomberg.

Jack Bloomberg, a handsome yet much older man, old enough to be my father, maybe even my grandfather, had a penchant for dating his secretaries then marrying them after the previous one had gone stale. Jackie was the home wrecker _du jour_ although she was really quite competent at her job.

"Good Morning Jackie. This is Ranger Manoso. Would Hunter be in this morning?"

"Good Morning Mr. Manoso. Hope you are well. Attorney Michelson just walked through the door. I'll get him for you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Please give my best to Stephanie."

"I will."

Soft elevator music played in the background.

"Ranger. Good Morning. How've you been? Haven't heard from you in ages. Life must be good. How's Stephanie?"

"Stephanie is well, thank you. Listen. We may have a problem. I don't think it'll turn into anything but Steph and I feel that we should talk to you, just in case."

"Sure. I'm due in court in an hour but if you buy me lunch, we can meet in the court house cafeteria around noon."

"I think we should meet privately."

"Really? Give me the short version."

Ranger relayed the story quickly.

"So? What do you think?"

"Ranger I'm a corporate attorney not a criminal attorney. You should talk to one of my partners, Gary Wilson."

"Can you set that up for us?"

"Of course. Let me buzz Jackie to set up some time for you. Listen, Ranger, this isn't going to disappear and go away."

He said reiterating what I'd said earlier.

"I was afraid of that. Thanks."

More elevator music played. The same song had begun anew.

"Yes, Attorney Michelson." Jackie answered.

"Jackie, set up a meeting with Ranger and Gary as soon as possible, would you?"

There was a clicking sound, then a buzz. She returned after a few seconds but remained quiet for a heartbeat as she tapped on her computer keys.

"Mr. Manoso. Attorney Wilson has a few minutes this afternoon at two or I can get you in tomorrow at nine."

"Ranger. I suggest you talk to Gary today."

"You know what's best."

"Fine. Mr. Manoso, we'll see you at two today." Jackie said with a professional smile in her voice.

"We'll be there." He disconnected. "Two o'clock." He repeated for my benefit.

We went back to business as usual if only temporarily.

"Okay. I'm going to work on a few searches and check my e-mail. The Miami reviews are due soon. I need to get started on that too. I have plenty to keep me busy until then. See you for lunch?"

"I'll be right here. Hey, did you finish downloading and amending the Atlanta reviews?"

"Yes. I'm ready to enter the data into the employee's permanent files but haven't deleted anything from the excel sheet because I knew you hadn't made your final adjustments. Tank hasn't signed off yet either."

Ranger picked up his phone and punched in Tank's extension.

"Tank. Haven't you signed off of Atlanta's reviews yet?"

"No sir. I wanted to talk to you about the discrepancies that Stephanie dug up. I think I figured it out. Want to go over it now? I'm between things at the moment."

"Yeah. Steph and I have an appointment at two that I want to talk to you about anyway. I'll need to get Bobby and Les in here too."

"Does it have anything to do with your breakfast guests this morning?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Shit. Will do boss."

"See you." I said as I kissed my husband's cheek then headed for my office.

Just before noon I picked up a few sandwiches from the cafeteria, juice for me and water for the man in black and a large red apple to share.

Ranger was leaning back in his dark leather chair, with his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

"Hey." I tapped on the door. "Hungry?"

"Hey gorgeous. Come in. Is it lunch time already?" He flipped his wrist to check his watch while I placed the sandwiches on the glass blotter. "What am I eating today?" He chuckled as he picked up one sandwich then the other. "They're the same."

"Yup. They'll be no fighting that way."

Lunch was quiet. No unwelcome visitors and no disturbing phone calls.

Ranger looked at his watch again. "I think we should leave now in case there's a lot of traffic."

Hunter Michelson's law firm was located in a tall mirrored glass building in the center of the main street in downtown Trenton. It was cold and scary looking. Very phallic. Very apropos for an office building housing scum sucking attorneys.

We approached the shiny elevator and pressed the up button. I vaguely heard gears turning as the heavy metal coffin approached. The doors slid open with a gentle welcoming ding. As we entered, and pressed the number twenty seven, we were assaulted with a cheesy medley of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra tunes as we rose to the top of the tower. The artist was someone who clearly could not speak Italian. Thankfully it was hushed by the banging of the blood rushing through my head. The doors finally opened with another gentle ding.

Hunter happened to be in the lobby. He was standing with an empty coffee cup in his hands talking to another attorney. I hadn't seen him in a while. He and Ranger normally met over the phone.

That day he was wearing a medium gray suit with a dark blue shirt and matching neck tie. Tanning boothed to the max, his blonde hair was cut short in comparison to Ranger's long dark ponytail but it hung loose to his shoulders where it curled at the ends. Hunter wasn't bad looking but he really wasn't my type reminding me more of a surfer dude than a badass.

He came off as vain although he was a really nice guy and smart as a whip. Ranger had been using him for years and trusted him implicitly. I did too. He was a no nonsense kind of lawyer. Told you like it was although he was willing to walk the gray line of give and take if it was necessary and he had in the past. He was well compensated for looking the other way. I gave him a hug and Ranger shook his hand.

"Come on in."

"Aren't we meeting with Gary?" I asked.

"Yes, but I cleared my calendar to join you. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all."

The hallway was long and wide and tastefully decorated with expensive art.

"If this turns into a real issue, we may need to play a little Chinese fire drill with some of your investments. I want to be prepared."

"Thank you. We appreciate it." Ranger added.

"My pleasure."

He opened the solid oak door waving us into his office.

He offered us coffee from an assortment of imported blends that smelled amazing. I passed. I'd had my limit for the day.

His office was opulent. That's the only word to describe it. Every piece of furniture was hand crafted or imported resembling the kind of Elizabethan office furniture you'd find in a museum or at the Smithsonian. Big, bold, dark and extreme. The solid mahogany desk was bigger than my old bathroom in my former apartment and his leather chair made Ranger's look like something he'd gotten at Sears. Hundreds of matching legal code books filled the book shelves on two and a half walls. One wall was just windows calling attention to the panoramic view of downtown Trenton. You could see for miles.

A magnificent working marble gas fireplace took up half of one wall with a large professionally painted life size portrait of Hunter and his two children when they were very young. They were both now college age. No wife. He was on number three or four. He'd joked once about not keeping a wife long enough for her to sit for a portrait.

We were just getting seated around the desk when Gary walked in. Tall and very thin, with a gaunt face and square jaw, he greeted us without as much as a smile.

"Mr. & Mrs. Manoso. I only have a few moments. What can I do for you?"

He sat in Hunter's large throne like chair, leaned forward with his hands folded on the glass blotter.

Hunter remained silent so Ranger began to relay the events from the beginning from his yellow notepad. Gary checked his watch every thirty seconds or so. His diamond and gold pinkie ring glinted every time he moved. After five minutes he said.

"Get to the point, Mr. Manoso. I'm a very busy man." So he did.

"In a nutshell, I've been accused of accosting a woman I barely know. She's claiming to be pregnant and accusing me of fathering her child. Now her husband is gone missing. I feel that in time I'll become a suspect. I need your advice."

"Is the child yours?"

"Impossible."

He squeezed my hand.

"Did you have sex with her?"

"Absolutely not."

"And the husband. Any idea where he may have gone?"

"Not a clue."

"Did you kill him? Harm him in anyway?"

"No sir."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow morning at nine. If there's anything else you'd like to tell me," He nodded to the yellow notepad in Ranger's hand. "We can discuss it then."

He stood pushing the chair back and headed for the oak door then disappeared the same way he arrived, without a word.

"What the hell was that? Have we been dismissed?"

I looked at Ranger and Hunter. Even Ranger looked a little befuddled.

"Great. He's going to take the case." Hunter stood with a smile on his face. "You couldn't be in better hands."

I had my doubts.

"How can you say that?"

"Trust me," Hunter said. "If he didn't think you had a chance, he wouldn't have scheduled another appointment in the morning."

We were all standing in the lobby when Jackie said, "See you at nine. Have a good evening."

She gave Hunter a thumbs-up as we walked toward the door.

"He's the best Ranger. Trust me on this." He shook Ranger's hand then hugged me. "Don't worry Steph."

We headed back to the office in comfortable silence, questions clogging my brain.

Most of the search files on my desk took until after seven o'clock that evening to complete because of the interruption to visit with Gary. I left the last few for the next day. I was exhausted. I heard Tank's voice coming from Ranger's office.

"Are you going to tell him everything?"

"I have to, don't I?"

"Does Steph still believe you?"

"Of course she believes me. Why wouldn't she?"

"Hey guys. Am I interrupting anything?"

I tapped on the door lightly, just hard enough to make my presence known then stepped in.

"Nope. Just on my way home. Ranger. You know my number if you need me."

"Thanks Tank. Appreciate it." Tank smiled at me then headed for the staircase.

"Ready to go home?" I asked.

Ranger pulled the apartment key from his top middle drawer.

"Yeah. Just give me a second to lock up." He stood and limped to his door.

"Feet still hurt?"

"A little. I'll soak them in the hot tub tonight."

"Can I join you?"

Ranger leaned on me a little as we headed for the elevator. No stairs that night.

"Of course you can join me. Why would you even ask such a thing? It's my feet that hurt not my …"

I pressed the number seven on the keypad on the wall with my finger then wiggled it in his face.

"Uh, uh, uh. Watch your mouth. Married people aren't supposed to have crazy sex. Remember? Isn't that what Detective Matthews said?"

"Not funny, Stephanie Michelle."

"I'm funny. I'm very funny."

"Yeah, funny peculiar. Not funny Ha ha."

He ducked but I still managed to swat the back of his head.

As the door opened to our apartment, and we arrived in the kitchen, I remembered Detective Matthews words as he walked out the door. Something suddenly occurred to me.

"Ranger? What if Olivia really is pregnant? What's going to happen when she insists that it's yours?"

Ranger popped his head out of the fridge with a strawberry in his mouth.

"She could take everything you've worked so hard to build."

"Not going to happen, Babe. DNA. She can accuse me all she wants. DNA will prove that her baby isn't mine. That's _if_ she really is pregnant."

"What the hell is her game, Ranger? I don't get it. Why is she doing this?"

"Money. She wants money. I told you that."

"Maybe we could use that as part of your defense." The mystery novel reader in me slipped out. "Maybe her true lover, the baby's father, killed Lawrence."

After dinner, we cleaned up the dirty dishes, shut off the kitchen light and made our way toward the bathroom.

Ranger dropped his clothes, sat on the waterproof chair in the corner to remove the bandages from his feet then slid into the hot tub on his behind. I shrugged out of my own clothes to join him.

"Do you really think Olivia has a lover?" He said with a cocked head. "God, who'd want her? She's annoying as hell and her face. What's wrong with her face?"

Her plastic surgeon had a lot of 'splainin' to do as far as I was concerned.

Ranger took my hand as I stepped down into the tub and sat across from him. The bubbles massaged my back.

"I don't know. I'm grasping at straws. The police are eventually going to find out about the phone message and that you were really there and you'll be charged with… with something."

We both knew that when the police found out about the message that Olivia had left for Ranger that he would then have had a reason to go to the Daniels' that night. It gave him motive to harm Olivia and or Lawrence. If Lawrence surfaced alive, Ranger would be home free on that account but if and when Lawrence's dead body was found, Ranger would be charged with murder. I had no doubt of that fact in my mind. Neither did he.

"Steph. I didn't do anything. They can't prove I did something I didn't do."

"Ranger, haven't you ever heard of false evidence? Planted evidence? Remember OJ's glove? Olivia's sneaky. If she wants to pin this on you, she will. Detective Matthews believes her."

"Steph. I'm innocent."

"But we lied to the police."

"Yeah. That's going to come back and bite us in the ass."

"I'm sorry Ranger. I was trying to protect you like you've always protected me."

"Don't be sorry. Had I been in your position, I would have done the same thing."

"Thanks but in the meantime, she is going to make our lives very miserable."

"Yeah. She will. Now. Enough about the Daniels. Bring that naked body over here so I can ravage you m'lady." Ranger crawled across the tub and pulled me to him.

"Your wish is my command, m'lord."

The following morning, we had breakfast then checked our respective e-mails and phone messages from the upstairs office before we headed out to see Gary again for our nine o'clock appointment. Tank and Ranger met briefly before we left.

"I'm not certain what time we'll be back. I'll let you know when we leave Gary's office."

"Good Luck."

"Thanks."

It was overcast and cool with a heavy wind from the east. I could smell the salty sea air. I wanted to be at the beach. Anywhere but on my way to see Attorney Gary Wilson.

I didn't like him and for that, I didn't trust him. I prayed I was wrong in my early assessment of the man who possibly held the fate of my husband and our marriage in his hands.

Still trying to recover from the loss of our daughter, I was uncertain if this new level of stress was going to finally break me. Or worse yet, us. It was a daily struggle although I kept a shiny face in public. Dr. Troika knew I was holding something back but I was determined to keep my secret from her. She knew it too.

I had a weekly appointment and although I drove to Philadelphia every week, I often missed my appointment. I'd spend my time at a nearby mall so that the little red dot of my GPS would tell my husband and the nosey men he employed to watch over me, that I was sitting in the good doctor's shrink tank. I knew she'd never blab due to the patient and physician privacy restrictions. I felt safe and secure yet like a crook.

Gary's office was at the end of the hall in the corner. If Hunter's office was opulent, Gary's was grandiose.

Large floor to ceiling smoked glass panels encompassed the two corner walls. The other two walls were filled with the same law books as Hunter had only the bookcases slid side to side allowing for more books, like a secret passageway to a dungeon.

Ranger had a similar door that held his boots and our shoes in the back of his clothes closet in his dressing room. It opened to a staircase that extended all the way down to the holding cells in the basement of the building and lower to a safe room where one could hold out almost indefinitely. Ranger showed it to me just after we were married. Few people knew of its existence. The fewer the better.

Gary's office floors appeared to be marble and may have been. There was an oversized 19th century antique Iranian Farahan rug with vibrant colors of greenish yellow in the center. His desk was not to my taste but must have cost a fortune. The frame was made with intricately bent and twisted brass tubing. The glass desk top extended four feet front to back and stretched out to at least eight feet, side to side. It had to be two, maybe three inches thick. The smoothed and polished edges had a bluish green tint. The overhead chandelier, a twin of the base of his desk only in reverse, dripped of crystal nuggets like teardrops.

Files were obsessively neatly piled both in the in-box on the left and in the out-box on the right. There was no blotter but there was a brass desk set: a mesh cup for his pens, paperclip cup and an engraved business card holder, etcetera. A silver frame with a picture of little girl of two years of age or so, sat on the edge at arms length. His computer screen and keyboard were holograms in the glass of his desktop.

I didn't know what he charged by the hour but I'd guessed that our next trip to anywhere would have to be postponed.

Gary greeted us with a hand shake and pointed in the direction of two white leather overstuffed Queen Anne style chairs. He was all business.

"Do you want your wife here?"

"Steph?"

"Of course I want to be here." I replied.

"Fine. Let's get down to business. Time is money." He adjusted his eyeglasses and began. "They'll be no secrets. None. I can't defend your actions if I don't know what they were. I've obtained a copy of the police report." He tapped on his desk and an image appeared. "You're being charged with attempted rape for the visit the other night at the very least."

He peeked at us briefly over the top of his glasses looking for our reaction, then continued.

"I don't think the first attempt, 'the deal' as she's calling, will stand but that's still a work in progress. You haven't been charged yet because Olivia Daniels has refused to sign a complaint saying that it was consensual. The state of New Jersey, however, doesn't work that way. She made the accusation so you'll be going to court at some point. I was able to delay your imminent arrest temporarily due to your standing in your community. After our meeting here today, I'll take you to the police station where you'll turn yourself in. You may spend the night in jail. Depends on the length of the court docket and if they decide to throw the book at you or not. I don't know who the DA will assign to the case yet. Pray it isn't Jed Rainier. He's a real prick in cases like this. His sister was raped and murdered several years ago. I'm guessing bail will be about $500,000 if the judge is feeling generous. Could be more."

"What?"

We both said at the same time. It was all too much to take at one breath. He'd thrown out the facts so quickly, my head spun like a top as soon as he said he'd already gotten the police report.

"Let me finish. There's more. Lawrence Daniels has yet to materialize. At least his body has not been found. Mrs. Daniels was vague about the disappearance. She's not being very cooperative apparently so the police have nothing to charge you regarding that issue. The test results haven't come back yet on the wine she says you brought to their home. Until then …"

"I didn't bring any wine. Olivia had a bottle already open when I got there."

Gary stopped, his hand in midair where he'd been typing.

"So you were there? The police report indicates that you denied having been there. Which is it? Were you there or not?"

"Well..."

"Were you there or not?" He shouted.

"Yes. I was there. She …"

"So you lied to the police?"

"Yes. I …"

"Why?"

"I …"

He threw the next set of eye darts at me.

"You lied as well, Mrs. Manoso?"

"Yes."

Gary removed his glasses and rubbed his forehead before he glowered at us.

"Let me make something crystal clear, Mr. & Mrs. Manoso. This stops here and now. You will not lie to me or keep anything from me. Not for any reason. I cannot defend you from unknown attacks. You will tell me the truth. You will tell me everything and hold nothing back. Do you understand?"

He waited for our reply.

"Yes, sir."

"Now where was I? The wine." He replaced his eyeglasses. "Did you or did you not bring a bottle of wine with you?"

"No sir. I did not. She appeared to be drinking from it when I got there."

"She says you brought it. Did you or didn't you?"

"I already told you that. I did not."

"What kind of wine did Olivia serve you that night?"

"I don't know. I never tasted it."

"What kind of wine do you drink Mr. Manoso?"

"What does it matter?"

"Answer the questions as I present them to you or I can't help you."

Gary was one cranky dude.

"We don't have all day to banter." He added dryly as his fingers continued to dance over the bluish dots on his desktop. I expected to see Princess Leia or Obi Wan appear any second.

"We have several different kinds in our home. I like a bold red wine or dry white wine but Stephanie prefers something lighter like a Blush or Chablis. We are both particularly fond of a French _Sauvignon Blanc_. I have it flown in from France. We discovered it on our honeymoon. It's quite expensive so we save it for special occasions."

"A simple red or white answer will suffice in court. Keep your answers truthful but brief. Give away nothing. Was the bottle that Olivia handed to you clear or dark?"

"I really don't remember. I didn't pay much attention to it."

"Yet you held it in your hands at some point. Your fingerprints will be on it."

"It was dark in the house. I couldn't see very well."

"Do you have impaired vision?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

Gary ignored his question.

"You said that you touched or held the bottle. Did you ever touch any of the glasses?"

"No. Yes. I did. She handed one to me. I placed it on the coffee table along with the bottle."

"But you don't know what color the bottle was nor do you know what type of wine it was."

"That's right."

"Are you a sommelier?"

"A what?" I asked.

"Sommelier. Wine expert."

"No. I'm not."

"Funny. You seem to know a lot about wines yet you can't identify the bottle you were handed and held while you were at the Daniels. Let's move on. Did you ever drink from the glass?"

"Not a sip."

"Why not?"

"I didn't go there to socialize."

"Then why did you take the bottle and the glass from her?"

"She handed it to me. Did I have a choice?"

I could see that Ranger was getting anxious.

"How many times did you go to the Daniel's home?"

"Twice. No three times."

"Were you ever alone with Mrs. Daniels at any point or was someone else with you?"

"Alone with Mrs. Daniels? Never. I was always with someone else in her presence. And make that four times. Stephanie was with me once and Lester Santos was with me the first time."

"I'll ask you the same question again. See if you can get it right this time. How many times have you been to the Daniel's home?"

"Four times."

Gary was quiet for a moment as he tapped at the keyboard hologram.

"The bottle of wine that the police took from the Daniel's home was a _Sauvignon Blanc. _Can you explain that?"

"No. I can't."

"Maybe it's a coincidence." I added.

"I don't think the police will see it that way, Mrs. Manoso." He said, never looking at me. "Did you or did you not bring that bottle of wine to the Daniel's that night or any other night?"

"No. I did not."

"How do you explain that she just happened to have your favorite wine?"

"I don't know. I can't explain that. I suppose I may have said ..."

"Don't suppose anything. That's providing ammunition to the enemy. I want the facts and only the facts. Leave the thinking to me. That's what you're paying me to do."

"There's something else." Ranger added. "I think it might be significant. Olivia Daniels isn't her real name."

"What?" Gary actually looked at him that time.

"Olivia changed her name. It used to be Rejeanne, Rejeanne Michaud. I doubt that Lawrence Daniels is who he says he is either but I don't know that for certain."

"Really? How do you know that?" He made more notes on his invisible keyboard as Ranger explained the connection. "I'll check that out."

He continued to barrage Ranger with the same questions over and over. He dug back to Ranger's teen years, his pre military police record, the car thefts and convenience store robberies, his relationship with Olivia or Rejeanne, Julie and the circumstances surrounding Julie's birth, until I though I would strangle him.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you hammering him like this?" I said. "He's innocent. He hasn't done anything wrong." I sobbed.

Ranger touched my arm and shook his head side to side.

"Babe. Let the man do his job."

"He doesn't believe you. Ranger. Tell him again that you're not lying. You didn't touch Olivia or Lawrence. Tell him."

Gary pushed his chair from his desk so quickly, I never saw him move. He got right into my face. Before I could take a breath, he let me have it.

"You don't like the way I'm questioning your husband? You have three choices, Mrs. Manoso. You can leave the room, find another attorney, or let me do my job. You husband is about to be charged with attempted rape, and possibly another count of rape with a child resulting. Thrown in the mix for shits and giggles is the undeniable disappearance and probable murder of that woman's husband while he was trying to protect her from your husband's sexual advances. Their prior relationship WILL surface. And of course, there is his colorful military career. There is the fact that he WAS at their home both nights in question and then lied about it to the police. You both did. Oh yes, did I forget to tell you. Mrs. Daniels told the police that they had a security system at the time. A camera over the outside front door. The date and time of his many visits would be documented on the tapes. His fingerprints will appear on the bottle of wine. Wine that he admits is his favorite and wine that she says he brought with him. Wine that may have contained the date rape drug known as rohypnol. Olivia Daniels has a witness that will testify that your husband attacked her and her husband when he tried to separate them. The husband's body has yet to be found. You think I'm being mean and cruel? Let me assure you that the prosecutor will not be as pleasant as I'm being here today. I have to tear him a new asshole here and now or he'll never survive this trial. Your husband will spend the rest of his days behind bars in a ten by ten foot cell. The Daniels will own everything that you currently enjoy. Do I make myself clear, Mrs. Manoso?"

"Yes." I eked out. Ranger knew better than to say a word.

"Now, can I please get back to this without any more outbursts? We don't have a lot of time to prepare a defense."

Although I was grateful that he was on our side of the judicial bench, I still felt he could have used a chill pill. Maybe I was wrong.

"Let's get back to my original question. Why were you there that night?"

"Olivia left a message for me but…"

"What kind of message?"

"Phone message."

"What phone?"

"Our home phone but it's a …"

"Are you listed in the book?"

"No it's a private listing."

"How many people have the number?"

"Very few people. I don't want to be disturbed after hours unless there's an emergency."

"So, again. Who has the number?"

"My control room, my business partners, and my wife, my daughter and my grandmother. Even our families don't have the number. If they need us after hours, they have our cell numbers or they can call the control room."

"How did she get the number?"

"I don't know. I didn't give it to her."

"How do you think she got it if you never gave it to her?"

"I wish I knew."

"Do you think you have a leak in your management?"

"I'm afraid it's a possibility."

"Did you keep the message?"

"No." I answered sheepishly. "I deleted it. I couldn't bear to keep. I'm sorry."

I waited for him to throw something at me but he didn't.

"I'll contact your carrier to see if they can help. They may have it on tape in archive."

Gary continued to berate and belittle Ranger, questions piercing like arrows.

"Why did you agree to have dealings with people you knew to be conducting illegal transactions?"

"I didn't, like I told you. This man, who called himself Miguel Santiago, told me that he was an investigator of some sort. He said, no, he implied, that he was with the AG's office or FBI and that they were looking into these people and that I was expected to cooperate. I never agreed to work with him. I told him I'd think about."

"And did you? Think about it, that is?"

"Yeah, for about thirty seconds. I didn't believe him and when my company and I searched him out, we found nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Not a God damned thing."

After our three hours of grilling and verbal torture, Gary called someone at the Newark PD to tell them that we were on our way.

Gary drove a charcoal gray Lexus LX hybrid SUV with every bell and whistle you could imagine. Ranger sat in the front and I sat in the back.

"You okay Steph?" Ranger asked just before we pulled from the underground parking lot.

"No." I said before I covered my mouth and turned my head, the tears streaming down my cheeks. Gary spoke to Ranger as though I wasn't there.

"I'll call Detective Matthews again as soon as we pull into the lot. He'll meet us at the back door. The media has already gathered and are setting up camp out front. He'll cuff you and read you your rights. You'll be taken to the side room where you'll be formally charged. Don't get cocky if you're not charged with everything just yet. That may come later. An officer will remove your valuables or you can leave them with your wife now. He'll take you to a holding cell where you'll remove your clothes. You'll be hosed down and deloused in the public shower then given a colorful orange jumpsuit. They'll fingerprint you and take your picture for the record. After your interrogation, they'll take you back to your cell until the judge has time to arraign you when I'll request bail. Sebring is a good guy. I'll call him."

"My wife's cousin is a bail bondsman. I do business with him. She'll call him, if that's alright."

"Who might that be?"

"Vinnie Plum."

Gary snorted.

"Duckman is your cousin?"

"Yes." I added full of confidence. Vinnie was a weasel but he was fair and very good at his job.

"Well I'll be damned." Gary smiled for the first time since we'd met. I caught a glimpse of it in the rear view mirror.

Once we arrived at the rear door to the Newark Police Department, we were met by a barrage of reporters, several state police and Detective Matthews.

The building was old but of a modern design for the time period when it had been built. The exterior walls were slathered in cream colored rough concrete swirls encrusted with thick smog dust. The darkened windows were boxy and rectangular with no ornamentation other than the simple dark brown metal trim. It was nondescript, institutional, and its use was noncommittal save for the large round white disc on the front of the building of the great seal of the State of New Jersey.

Two women were dressed in Greek looking garb, one was holding a staff with what appeared to be a woolen hat or flag and the other held a cornucopia overflowing with fruit and vegetables. The women floated freely on top of a dark blue ribbon that proclaimed Liberty and Prosperity 1776. In the center of the orb, was a large shield with some type of farm equipment like a plough with a horse profile just above it.

A worn, faded and torn dark blue canvas canopy covering the back door entry way from the parking lot, flapped merrily in the breeze as cameras clicked and we were peppered with comments and questions.

"Don't you own a business in Trenton?"

"Isn't it a security company? It's called Rangemen, isn't it?"

"Is it true, Mr. Manoso. Did you rape one of your customers?"

"How safe and secure do you think your customers feel now?"

Detective Matthews threw his jacket over Ranger's head then snapped a set of cuffs on his wrists as he read him his rights. A female police officer tossed her jacket over mine. We were led blindly inside then past the switchboard operator where I was led to a secure waiting room and Ranger was taken down a dark hallway to the other side of the building. Detective Matthews held his upper arm like he was a vice and Ranger's arm was a piece of wood.

Ranger was then shoved into an interrogation room made of concrete blocks that were painted a jaunty pale blue where he was made to sit at a small metal table. Detective Matthews yanked the jacket from him and threw it on the floor.

"I'm going to have to get that disinfected." He said as Ranger settled into the rusting metal chair.

"Can you take these off? I'm not going anywhere." He held his manacled hands up above the table.

Detective Matthews pulled a key from his key ring and removed the shiny silver bracelets he'd promised to provide.

He then pulled up his own chair and sat across from Ranger, his hands folded on the table in front of him. "You lied to me." He slammed his fist on the heavy table that was bolted to the concrete floor before he stood running his fingers through his hair. He turned. "You sonovabitch. You and your wife fucking lied then made a fool out of me in front of my men. What do you have to say to me now Mr. Manoso? You'd better start talking if you want to save your ass."

Gary had told him to keep his moth shut but Ranger wanted to defend me.

"I'm sorry, Detective. My wife is… protective of me. Very protective. She spoke before she thought."

"I should charge her too." He added sharply. Then he did something strange. With his hand in his pocket he clicked a remote in his pocket. Ranger noticed that the blinking red light on the overhead surveillance camera went out and the light of two-way mirror behind him went dim.

"But I won't if you talk to me. Now's your chance Mr. Manoso. I want the truth. All of it." He lowered his head for a moment then softened his tone. He was almost friendly. "Actually, I've made some phone calls and done a little investigation since we last had tea together in your home. Talk to me Manoso. I…"

Gary walked in at that moment tugging at his necktie then took the chair beside Ranger.

"Shut up." He growled at Ranger. Then to the man in the navy blue dress pants, white shirt and sidearm, he said. "No more questions, Detective Matthews. You know the rules of this game. Ranger. I told you not to say anything to anyone unless I was present. We've been over this." Back to Matthews. "I want everything he said stricken from the record."

Ranger whispered to Gary and he nodded.

"Matthews. Outside." Gary said.

Ranger sat with his hands folded together resting on the cold metal table in front of him while the other two men stepped outside the door.

"I'll let my client talk to you but only off the record. Turn off the tape recorder and the cameras." Gary told Matthews, playing along. "He has some information that might be useful in your investigation and his defense."

"Can't do that." Detective Matthews said. Then he glanced quickly at the small rotating white box above the door.

"Then no deal." Gary crossed his arms across his chest.

Detective Matthews pulled out his pen and scratched a small note on the back of what looked to be his business card.

"This is my personal cell phone number." He whispered then handed the plain white card to Gary. It read: it's off. "Call me when you change your mind. Now let's get this interrogation over with."

The stage had been set.

It appeared that Detective Matthews may have been willing to listen, or suspected that something was amiss.

Ranger and Gary spoke honestly until there was a tap at the door. With his hand in his pocket and a slight nod toward the camera, he turned the camera and microphones back on.

Detective Matthews had called a Detective Rosa Livingstone as a witness. She was a tall woman of color who had the look of someone who'd been around the block a few times and could drag you there with little to no effort. Ranger wondered if she and Lula had ever worked together. He thought it best not to ask her.

Matthews grilled Ranger for over two hours going over the same things again and again trying to punch holes in his story as though they hadn't spoken at all moments before, keeping his bad cop demeanor. Gary interrupted when Ranger was giving up more intel that he felt necessary.

Ranger then followed the script Gary had laid out.

He was eventually taken to a storage type room with a heavy chicken wire like doors where he handed over his belt, socks, wallet, hanky, necktie, watch, wedding ring, loose change and anything else that he could use as a weapon on himself or someone else. That included his shoelaces in case he decided to make a run for it and use them as a rope to climb down to the parking lot several stories below the small window that was barely big enough to piss through.

Ranger was deloused, sprayed with some goopy bug killer to protect his fellow inmates. He was allowed to shower with his new buddies then outfitted in his new ensemble of a bright orange jumpsuit that was much too big for him and coordinating flip-flops. He had to roll up the sleeves and pant legs. It made him look small in comparison, by design.

A skinny balding guy named Homer, chewing on a toothpick, reeking of stale tobacco and beer, took his photo for posterity, beside what looked like a kindergarten height ruler only taller and no giraffes.

"Hold this. Stand still." Click. "Turn to the left." Click. Homer took the numbered chalkboard from Ranger and wiped it clean with his sleeve. "Next."

Ranger met with the judge, a heavy set guy with a thick head of curly dark hair, who looked way too bored to be handing out justice. Justice for my husband, that is. I watched from behind a pane of heavy bullet proof glass as my husband pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempted rape. As the bailiffs hauled him away, handcuffed again, I blew Ranger a kiss and was rewarded with a weary and acquiescent smile. His fate had been handed to him under the crack of a wooden gavel.

The holding cells were down a cold yet brightly lit hallway. Ranger was then led through several heavy electronically controlled metal doors that slid sideways every ten feet or so. Voices bounced off of the walls. Some of the prisoners called him by name.

"Hey Manoso, you Asshole."

"Ranger? Is that really you, man?"

"How does it feel to be on the wrong side of the bars?"

"Gonna share my bed tonight big man?"

Many other colorful and derogatory labels were used. Some prisoners were acquaintances, some enemies. It was difficult to tell the difference. They were all dressed and smelled the same.

My day had been spent in suspended monotony in comparison to the day Ranger had had. I'd been primarily relegated to the waiting room, although I was free to leave the building if I chose which I did not. I paced a new path in the worn linoleum while Ranger faced his ordeal. I had nothing to complain about. At least I'd eaten and been allowed to walk around and get fresh air. Ranger was forced to spend the day in a twelve by twelve foot holding cell with a cracked concrete floor, open public john and a window overlooking the parking lot, the size of my ass. He sat on a worn and beaten undersized cot, the mattress stuffed with moldy smelling horsehair, and a group of insalubrious characters, while waiting behind rusted iron bars for Vinnie to post his bond.

Once Ranger was released on $500,000 bail as predicted, by a Judge Walter Needham, Gary brought us back to his office downtown to pick up our car. It was after 9PM.

Ranger handed me the keys.

"Drive please."

He sat pensively holding a large manila envelope containing his previously confiscated personal belonging, tightly to his chest. His shoes flapped on his bare feet and his shirt was un-tucked from his pants.

We'd locked our firearms in a special safe installed in the trunk of our car before we left Gary's office that morning. Taking a gun to your arraignment was not in his best interest.

His eyes straight ahead, he worked his jaw. His breathing was heavy and irregular.

After a mile or so, I asked, "You okay, baby?"

"That was the most humiliating day of my life. I'm military. I'm used to parading around naked in front of other men. I've been tortured by better men than those with whom I shared that delousing as they called it. Take me home Stephanie. I need a shower. A hot shower. I feel dirty." He shivered. "Take me home."

Once we were in our apartment, Ranger got out of the car quickly and headed for the stairs.

"Tell Tank I'll talk to him later. I don't want to see anyone right now."

I took the elevator to Tank's office and tapped on the door. He and Hector were talking. There was an empty open pizza box on the floor and several empty amber bottles.

"Hector. Could I talk to Tank alone please?"

"_Si Estefania_." Hector headed for the stairs while the big man dressed in jeans and a royal blue t-shirt, shut the door behind me for privacy.

"Where is he? You've been gone all day. I didn't dare leave."

I dropped onto Tank's black leather couch, kicked off my shoes then leaned my head back and let out a sigh the size of Wisconsin.

"Sorry we didn't call. We spent most of the morning with the attorney. This afternoon was more interesting."

"What happened?"

"The police arrested him for attempted rape." I said as matter-of-factly as I dared.

"Fuck." Tank shot up from his chair then ran his hand roughly over hid bald pate. "I was afraid of that."

"There's more. He was handcuffed then locked in a holding cell with some of Vinnie's more colorful clients. He was hosed or deloused, whatever that is."

"Is he okay?"

"He's humiliated. He's taking a shower. He wants to be alone."

"Shit. Was he hurt?"

"What do you mean hurt? How could he…?"

"When he was in that cell, did the other prisoners, you know, gang up on him?"

"I don't think so. He didn't say anything. Why would they? What do you mean?" Tank knew something I didn't.

"Stephanie. Think about it. He's been charged with rape. His cellmates might not have liked having him around them. They may have tried to retaliate."

"Oh my God! No." Why was I always the last one to know this shit?

I ran to the elevator pressing the up button over and over to no avail. The numbered lights above the doors told me someone had taken the car to the holding cells in the basement or gun range below. I took to the stairs.

When I opened the apartment door, I was immediately assaulted with thick curly steam clouds coming from the bathroom.

"Ranger? Ranger." I called out but got no reply. "Ranger."

The bathroom door was locked so I searched the small drawer in the night stand beside the bed. Key in hand, I unlocked the door and pushed it open.

"Ranger." I called out again as I fought the heavy air, thick as a London fog.

The shower was still running, splashing out the sliding glass door leaving a rivulet of hot soapy water onto the tile floor. I reached in to turn it off.

"Go away."

Ranger was sitting naked on the floor with his knees to his chest. His hair was covering his face.

"Ranger? Are you alright?" I knelt beside him in a puddle.

"Please Stephanie. I want to be alone."

"No." I said as I pulled a towel from the rod.

I began to wipe him down but he tugged at the towel. That's when I noticed the bruising.

He finally stood up but wouldn't let me touch him. The areas on his back and torso, where his fellow roommate's fists had met his flesh, were blossoming nicely.

I had to ask.

"Ranger. Did they…?"

"No. I managed to hold them off. One of the guards arrived just after Vinnie arrived. He got me out in time. I couldn't have held out much longer."

He had scratches and welts on his arms and back and thighs.

"I'm sorry." I hugged my husband. He hugged back.

"Steph. We're in such a mess. If the charges stick and I'm convicted then have to go back to prison, I won't survive. If someone doesn't kill me first, I'll kill them. It was all I could do not kill these guys today. And those charges? How am I going to defend myself against that? According to Matthews and the investigation results, my fingerprints are all over the wine bottle and the glass with rohypnol. She had my DNA under her fingernails from the scratches she left on my chest. Then there's Mrs. Dominique as an eye witness. She heard Olivia and me arguing the night Lawrence ... She witnessed you and me in a heated discussion with the Daniels earlier. We don't have a chance in hell to win this. Babe, I'm telling you right now, we can't win."

"Ranger. You've been through worse. I know you have. We can do this. Together."

I made a quick dinner that Ranger just picked at but relented when I suggested hand feeding him.

CH – 17 - Desperado

While awaiting a court date, we tried to live as normal a life as possible.

If it was expected that Rangemen LLC would have grown with the acquisition of the Daniels' properties, it would not be assumed that business would lessen without the account. But Olivia was true to her word. The Rangemen named had turned to shit causing long time clients to go elsewhere for their security needs. If it was Olivia's plan to empty Ranger's wallet when this was all over, she was biting her nose to spite her face with her lies. If it hadn't been for all of the silent partners, our personal savings and Ranger's ability to turn a nickel into a hundred dollar bill through his investments, the Rangemen doors would have had to close.

The guys were fabulous. They volunteered their time when they could. Annual bonuses and raises were put on hold with no complaints. Ranger made note of their generosity. When things got back to normal, and they would, I had to believe that, we vowed that every employee would be handsomely rewarded for their loyalty and trust even if the money came out of our own personal stash and drained us dry.

Despite the heavy downturn, clients still needed to be serviced. Ranger hired a new guy, highly recommended by Hector. I wondered about his sanity, but Ranger is Ranger and I had to trust that he knew what he was doing.

As I sat across from my husband in his office with the large mahogany desk and dark green walls, I heard a voice I didn't recognize.

"Who is that?" I whispered to my husband then jerked my thumb toward the open door.

"Raoul Menendez. The new guy I just hired. He's a friend of Hector. They were gang members together some years ago. He'll be on monitor duty and IT. We'll get him out in the field once he's trained. He has explosive experience too. I told you about him."

"Yeah but why did you hire him again?"

"He's a friend of Hector. He needs the money."

"Yeah? So do we."

"Babe. Come on. Ease up a little. Okay? If this was a year ago, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Hector and Raoul walked by, suddenly silent as we watched them pass. Then they continued their conversation in a language I couldn't understand. From the sound and their gestures, I guessed it was a form of ghetto language I wasn't familiar with. Ranger said that his gang days were behind him but I had my doubts. I had a bad feeling.

"Ranger, I'm not certain hiring him was such a good idea."

"Why not?" He's qualified to do the job and willing."

"Yeah but..."

"Yeah but what, Steph? I'm surprised at you. I've never known you be prejudiced toward anyone in any way."

"It's not that."

"What's bothering you?"

"I'm not sure exactly. He gives me the creeps. I don't trust him. Something is off." Suddenly chilled I crossed my arms and rubbed my biceps.

"Get to know him Babe. You speak Spanish very well."

"Doesn't he speak any English?"

"As much as Ramirez." We both laughed.

Hector pretended that he only spoke Spanish and understood very little English, but the truth was that Hector could speak and understand English as well as I spoke and understood Spanish.

"I hear he won't talk to anyone but Hector."

"He's been through a lot and Hector empathizes with him. He's cool. I trust him. You should too."

"Okay. You're a much better judge of character than I am. I'll go talk to him."

"That's my girl." He smiled his beautiful smile. "I'll be up for dinner soon. I want to talk to Tank for a few minutes." He pulled his center drawer open to take his keys and his phone.

"I'll start dinner. Love you."

"Love you too, Babe."

I was just about to enter the elevator to head upstairs for the evening when Raoul walked by again with his collar up and his head down. He was alone. I decided to break the ice.

"_Hola. Raoul?"_ I extended my hand. "_I am Stephanie. Ranger's wife. Nice to finally meet you." _I though speaking to him in Spanish would help make him more comfortable talking to the boss's wife.

_In my mind, I still questioned Ranger's reasoning for hiring this guy, not because of his appearance, but because of his reputation as a gang member. And the money of course._

_He stopped, pockets filled up to his wrist, to stare at my hand as thought is was covered in maggots or something equally as disgusting then grunted a sound I assumed to be his way of saying hello. I persisted._

___"Welcome to Rangemen_." I added. "_I think you are going to fit in just fine here. We are all looking forward to working with you."_

_"__Gracias. Senora Manoso_."

_His voice had a deep timber and his accent was strong._

_"__Steph, please. Everyone calls me Steph_."

_I said in Spanish again. He looked up at me over his amber sunglasses. He raised his head and I hoped I hadn't gasped. Ranger had warned me about his appearance when he hired him but I was still taken aback at the sight._

_Raoul had a slash scar across, what had probably been a very handsome face. It began just above his left eye causing it to close a little, then across the bridge of his nose, continuing on to his right cheek. It was deep and angry and it appeared that it had never been stitched. Several blue teardrop tats ran down the side of face, like Hector, just above the space on his earlobe that was nearly gone. His jaw was off center. His top front teeth were capped with gold leaf and a small diamond chip in the center of one of them._

_A barbed wire tattoo ran around his neck that was mostly covered by the frayed collar of his long sleeved light blue shirt. He'd removed the stenciled numbers from the pocket with a black magic marker but the name Menendez remained._

_His jeans were worn and baggy and rolled up at the cuff. They were much too baggy like he'd recently lost an enormous amount of weight. His boots were so badly scuffed that they reminded me of a moon crater crash with the metal toe peeking out like an alien. He appeared to have a limp when I'd seen him walk with Hector earlier and I wondered if it was the boots or something else. I'd have to talk to Ella about getting him some decent clothes._

_My hand was still extended and I was about to pull it back when he smiled softly at me and took my hand for a gentle shake then released it quickly._

_His hand was badly scarred from what looked like burns. They had that webbed looked in shiny transparent flesh. He had few finger tips. Ranger had told me that they'd been removed with a hedge cutter during a fight with another gang some years back. The man holding the hedge cutter hadn't survived his retribution. That encounter was what had landed him in jail for several years just as he turned 18. I knew that Raoul's legs and arms were also scarred from the fire that had caused the damage to his hand. As I looked closer, I could see that the missing ear had probably burned off at the same time._

_I looked past his disfigurement when he spoke._

___"I have heard from the other men here that you are a good person and very beautiful. They did not do you justice."_

_I had a little trouble understanding him at first because his Spanish wasn't Cuban like Ranger but perhaps Haitian or Mexican like Hector._

_I couldn't help but smile at him._

___"Thank you. I hear you are very capable. We need good men like you. You will be an asset to our team."_

_"Thank you Stephanie. It is an honor to serve with your husband. I have much admired him over the years. Hector, he is very fond of him. A good man to work for, he says to me."_

_"Well, I might be prejudiced. He is my husband after all." I smiled then added. "You speak English very well."_

_"No. My English is not so good. Your __Espanol_ is very nice. Who teach you?"

_I had to chuckle._

_"Hector. Ranger was away on a mission after we married and Hector taught me as a surprise for Ranger."_

_"Ah. I see now why I understand you so, so, good? Good yes?"_

___"Bien."_

_His scars seemed to disappear as we continued our conversation and his smile grew while his shoulders relaxed._

_"We should go to __El Maton_ for lunch sometime. You and me."

___El Maton_ had fabulous Spanish style cuisine but was in an extremely seedy part of town off Stark Street. Ranger refused to take me without backup but Hector and I had lunch there often. Nobody in that neighborhood messed with Hector especially when he had the boss's woman with him.

___"No, that is no place for a lady such as yourself."_

_I whispered__. _

___"We will bring Hector to protect us."_

_Raoul let out a bark of laughter as we parted._

_Our lives were filled with visits to doctors Greene and Troika, and attorney's Michelson and Wilson. We continued to have dinner with family and friends as often as possible, trying to keep up the appearance of normalcy. Ranger read up on so many of Hunter's law books that I could only assume that if he took the bar exam, he'd pass with flying colors._

_On a different note, we'd stopped talking about starting a family temporarily. This was not the time. I wondered if it ever would be again._

_After weeks of moping around and feeling sorry for ourselves, I thought that maybe Ranger needed to have his daughter nearby so I called her. I missed her too._

_"Julie? It's Stephanie."_

_"Hi Steph. How are you doing?"_

_"Okay. Hanging in there."_

_"How's Dad doing with everything that's going on?"_

_"He's coping but I think a visit or at least a call from his daughter would help. Whatever you can manage would be appreciated."_

_"I should have called him. I know. I'm really sorry. I just didn't know what to say to him. You know?"_

_"Hi Dad. How are you? Would be a good place to start." I snipped._

_"I guess I deserved that."_

_"Sorry Julie. Things are tense here. Business has been suffering since this all happened. He may have to let a few guys go and you know your dad. He doesn't want to do that. And that woman is everywhere. We're afraid to go out for a walk. Everything. It's just all too much for both of us right now. We're fighting. Taking it out on each other. You dad's been seeing Dr. Greene and I've been seeing Dr. Troika. They've got both of us on meds."_

_"You're fighting? You guys never fight." Julie said surprised._

_It was true. We seldom argued, never mind fight._

_"Yeah well. We are. Hopefully everything will return to normal after that baby of hers is born and they can perform a DNA test. I'm hoping it will."_

_"Why can't they do the DNA test now?"_

_"They'd have to use amniotic fluid apparently. They don't want to do that unless it's an emergency to save the baby or the mother's life. It isn't safe right now."_

_"Bummer, huh?"_

_"You got that right."_

_"Look I have to go. I've got a lecture in a few and I've got to go over my notes with Maggie before it begins. I'll call dad later tonight okay?"_

_"That would be nice. He'd like that. Thanks Julie."_

_"Bye Steph."_

_"Bye Sweetie."_

_"Who were you talking to?" Ranger said just as I'd hung up with Julie. He sat on the edge on my desk._

_"No one."_

_I was hoping that Julie's call would be a surprise. That and the fact that knowing Julie, she might not call then he'd be disappointed._

_"Stephanie. I saw you talking on the phone with someone." He put his hand on the receiver. "It's still warm."_

_"No it isn't."_

_I checked my e-mail._

_"Fine. Have it your way." He turned to leave._

_"Where are you going?"_

_"None of your damned business."_

_"Ranger. Don't talk to me like that." I pleaded._

_He turned quickly. His eyes were angry._

_"Then don't lie to me Stephanie."_

_"Ranger."_

_"Don't." He put his hand up to silence me as he walked out the door._

_"Julie. It was Julie. I called her."_

_He stopped then spun around and looked at me._

_"Why did you call her?"_

_"Just to say hi."_

_"Really?" He sat on the edge of the desk again then folded his arms across his chest. "So when did she agree to grace us with her appearance?"_

_"Why do you say that like that?" I was the one getting cranky. It didn't take much._

_"The only time we hear from her is when she wants something and she doesn't come up unless you call her and beg her to come to see us."_

_"Ranger, that's not true."_

_He leaned down until we were nose to nose._

_"Bullshit."_

_"You know, if you're going to be an ass, get out of my office."_

_"With pleasure." He jumped off of my desk._

_"Go to hell." I said quietly enough that only he'd hear me._

_"Meet you there." He yelled from the cafeteria doorway._

_One more rotten day in the Plum-Manoso household. It was getting old._

_I was in the dining room, later that day, setting the table for dinner and Ranger was in our apartment office supposedly doing paperwork that could only be done in that office when his phone rang. He was standing at the file cabinet at the time so he reached across and pushed the speaker phone so he could continue whatever it was that he was doing in the files._

_"Rangemen. Manoso speaking."_

_"Hi Dad. It's Julie."_

_"Hey Jules. How's school?"_

_"Different. Real different."_

_"How so?"_

_He left the file cabinet, pushing the drawer shut and leaned his butt on the edge of the desk._

_"I don't know how to explain it. It's just different. The professors are mean" She lowered her voice. "'Read this. Write this paper. Dot it by tomorrow."_

_"No more handholding, huh?"_

_"Unh, unh."_

_Ranger had made arrangements to send Julie to a prestigious private fashion design school in France. We really couldn't afford it but Ranger was putty in Julie's hand so we cashed in a CD. She never actually asked for much but she wanted to attend this school very badly. It was actually something she'd been talking about for a long time._

_Since the course was only for the summer, Rachel had acquiesced when we told her that Julie would be allowed to come home whenever she wanted to._

_Rachel and her husband planned on taking the other children on a short vacation to pick her up at the end of the summer. Ranger offered to pay for their flight but Ron wouldn't allow it, neither would the court system as they were still trying to repay the money they'd taken illegally over the years. The Martines really needed to talk to a financial planner._

_"How do you like your room?"_

_He'd crossed his arms across his chest, ankles crossed too in a relaxed easy position._

_"I love my room. I can't believe that you let me stay in a dorm and have a room mate."_

_I could hear her excitement from where I was standing._

_"Have you met your room mate yet?"_

_"Yeah. Vicki is way cool."_

_"Really? I'm glad you like her. What's she like?"_

_"She's a jock. She said she'd teach me how to shoot hoops."_

_"Sounds like fun. Have you decided on a sport for this fall to keep you out of trouble?"_

_"Dad. I won't get into trouble."_

_"I know you won't, baby. I was just teasing." Ranger said with a smile as I watched him relax._

_"I signed up for karate but if I like basketball better, I might try that instead."_

_"That's great." There was silence for a moment. "I should let you go. I'm sure you're busy."_

_"It's okay, Dad. I cleared my calendar for you."_

_She chuckled and Ranger let out a bark of laughter._

_"Well, I appreciate that Jules."_

_"How are you doing Daddy? Really."_

_"I'm okay."_

_"Don't lie, Dad. I'm in college now. I can take it."_

_"I'm coping, Baby."_

_"How is Stephanie?"_

_"Why didn't you ask her that when she called you?"_

_"Dad."_

_"Jules, I know she called you. You can't bullshit a bullshitter."_

_"Yeah. She called and reminded me that I'd been neglecting you. I'm sorry."_

_"It's okay."_

_"Dad. Can I come up and see you soon? Before classes start up again?"_

_"I don't think that's a very good idea. Stephanie and I aren't well, we aren't... It would be awkward."_

_"Dad, please?"_

_"Jules, honey ..."_

_"Dad, I miss you."_

_"I miss you too but not now okay. Another time. I'm sorry."_

_"It's okay Dad. Mom and Ron said they want me to spend some time at home when this course is over anyway. It's no big deal." Julie said. She was sad. I knew she wanted to come. But maybe Ranger was right. It wasn't a good time._

_"I'm gad you understand. And Jules, thank you for calling even if Stephanie made you._

_"She didn't make me call you Dad. I wanted to call but I was afraid to bother you. Steph said it would be okay."_

_"You never bother me, Julie. I love to hear from you. And it is very much okay. Good night, Baby."_

_"Night Dad."_

_Ranger saw me standing in the doorway watching him. Unsure if he was still angry with me for calling Julie, I backed away intending to head for the hills or the kitchen. Whichever was furthest._

_"Steph?"_

_"Yeah?" I said without turning to face him._

_"Come here." Then added. "Please?"_

_"What?" I replied still not looking at him as I approached._

_"Thank you." He pushed off of the desk and pulled me to him. "Thank you very much."_

_Olivia and her growing belly paraded around Trenton like it was a badge of honor. I felt like she might set up a lemonade stand on Hayward Street to attract sympathy._

_She made phone calls to the control room manufacturing ridiculous accusations and statements saying that Ranger was calling her and that she was just returning his phone call. He wasn't. Her attorney was still adamant that Ranger had given her the private number originally. He hadn't._

_Because he refused to talk to her, she began a campaign of calling Rangemen every five minutes. The guys at the switchboard had taken it upon themselves to simply hang up on her. It infuriated her so she peppered our friends and relatives with calls until the judge put his foot down and told her that if she didn't stop he'd charge her with harassment and fine both she and her attorney. The calls stopped._

_Ranger's attorney, Gary Wilson called first thing one Monday morning after a very heated phone conversation he'd had with Olivia's attorney._

_Her attorney had apparently called that morning saying that Olivia was requesting that Ranger pay all of her medical bills. She also demanded child support before the baby was born saying she needed the money to prepare the nursery. If he agreed she'd ask the court to drop the rape charges. Ranger isn't stupid, he flatly refused. We knew that it couldn't happen anyway. She'd made the accusation and until he could prove he was innocent, the charges stuck. The woman lived in LalaLand_

_"That baby's not mine Gary, and I will not support it or that woman."_

_"She still insists that it is and until…" Gary argued._

_"Bullshit. I want DNA proof."_

_"You know she can't do that ..."_

_"She can't do it because it doesn't exist. It never will."_

_"No. I mean she can't do it until after the baby is born. It isn't safe until then."_

_Ranger stood and paced._

_"I don't care. I want this done with. My life is a mess. Stephanie and I are both so stressed out over this that we're at each other's throats constantly."_

_"Calm down. I think she's beginning to panic. Besides, she's due anytime. It'll be over with soon."_

_I was stirring fluffy yellow eggs in the frying pan for breakfast, when the house phone rang one morning a few later._

_"Ranger. Can you get that? I'm busy with breakfast. I can't leave the eggs." I called to him._

_Ranger was setting the dining room table. We'd been trying to make everything special, including meals, to try to ease some of the tension of the mess surrounding us but particularly since Gary had called to tell us that Olivia had delivered her baby a few days earlier. The DNA testing had been done and the results would be in shortly. We would finally be able to concentrate on us again._

_"Got it." He placed the receiver to his ear with his left hand as he held the dark green linen placemats with his left. "Manoso residence." I still smile every time he answers the house phone with those words. I was a Manoso and this was my residence too. "Gary. Good Morning. - Yes, of course we can. - Ten?" He looked at me. I nodded a 'yes'. "We'll be there."_

_Ranger took a deep breath._

_"Ranger? What is it?"_

_"The results are in Babe. The results are finally in. It'll all be over soon."_

_"Thank God."_

_We hugged and kissed for a long time, it seemed, then finished our breakfasts, showered and headed out._

_On our way out of the building, we stopped to tell Tank the good news._

_"It's over man. Finally. Gary just called. The results are in."_

_"Well, sonovabitch. Congrats. When are you going to pick up the paperwork?" Tank asked as he pumped Ranger's hand and patted him on the back, then hugged him._

_"We're on our way now. He set up a meeting with the bitch and her attorney for ten."_

_Les peeked in._

_"What's going on? I can hear you guys from the men's room."_

_"It's over Les." I said. "Gary just called. The DNA results are in. We're on our way to make Olivia eat some Manoso crow."_

_"That's great." He said as he lifted me from the floor and spun me in circles._

_"Les put me down." I giggled. "Les."_

_Bobby appeared._

_"Really? What the fuck is going on in here? You guys are so fuckin' noisy. Shit. If one of us made that much noise, you'd fire every damn one of us."_

_"The results are finally in. No more Olivia and her lies, Bobby."_

_"No shit." Bobby said before he and Ranger hugged each other. "Steph, I'm really happy for you guys. It's time for you two to get your lives back to normal again. That's great. Really great."_

_"Look everyone, Steph and I are heading out to the meet with Gary to get the results."_

_"What are you going to do with them? Burn them?"_

_"Nope. I think I'm going frame them." He pointed to a small bare spot on his wall. "Hang them right there."_

_Everyone laughed._

_"Over my dead body." I added as everyone laughed again._

_"We'll be back shortly. See you when we get back." He looked at me and smiled his wolfish smile. "Make that later today. Steph and I may take a detour home."_

_"Ranger. Could I tag along?" Tank asked. "I'll take my own vehicle. I just want to see that woman's face when…"_

_"Me too." Les said. "I want to be part of the celebration too."_

_"Ranger, do you mind if I hitch a ride with Tank and Les?" Bobby chimed in._

_"Hell, why not. You can all come to watch the show."_

_Ranger and I got into the Porsche, with Tank, Les and Bobby in the Expedition taking up the rear flank._

_We talked more excitedly than we had in what seemed like an eternity. What a relief we all felt. That huge monkey on our back was about to get a one way ticket back to its homeland. It was overcast that day but I didn't care. The sun was out there somewhere. I knew it was._

_Olivia's attorney's office was on the third floor of an old converted school building. It still smelled of chalk and crayons. The upper walls were painted a cream color and the wainscoting was a dark bead board with twenty coats of varnish. The floors were hardwood covered with runners. The stairways were wide and trimmed with dark wooden balustrades. The edges of the steps were tipped with diamond plate for safety. The bathrooms still had the metal stalls of old._

_We all gathered around the table in the conference room, the former lunch room, at the end of the hallway._

_Gary sat beside Ranger. Tank was on Ranger's right, as always. I sat beside Gary. Les and Bobby chose to stand behind us._

_Olivia and her attorney sat across from us with Mrs. Dominique at the end of the table bouncing the baby on her lap._

_"The results are in as you know," He slid an envelope across the table to Gary. Gary was opening the envelope as he continued. The bastard had the gall to look happy._

_"What?" Gary said in a tone as loud as he'd used on me. "This is ridiculous."_

_Ranger pulled the papers from Gary's hand._

_"Impossible." He whispered. "This is impossible." He shouted._

_"DNA doesn't like Mr. Manoso. I hope you brought your checkbook."_

_The attorney, a skinny weasley looking scuzzball, looked at Olivia and smiled as he slid more paperwork in front of Ranger and Gary._

_I heard child support and sole custody then my mind went blank._

_All of my breathing functions had stopped. I couldn't get any air into my lungs. It was definite. A finality beyond finalities. More betrayal. First Dickie then Joe and now Ranger. Ranger of all people. I felt my head spin. I wanted to vomit._

_The DNA was a near perfect match. Ranger had lied to me. He had slept with Olivia. Now, they had a child together._

_Tears pooled behind my eyes. Tears I could only hope would melt my body into a colorless pool and sink me uselessly into the cheap tile floor never to be found again._

_In the background, I vaguely heard Ranger scream something at Olivia's attorney as he lunged across the conference table. A chair crashed to the floor. The room filled with a blue misty haze as I ran from the room, down the long hallway toward an open window. I wanted to jump out. My lungs burned from my efforts to suck in air before the room spun again._

_Les and Bobby had followed me out and held my hands as my back slid down the wall beside the ladies room door. I thought I heard loud yet muffled shouting as Les and Bobby tapped my cheeks._

_"Steph. Steph. Can you hear me?" They called from the inside of a long hollow tube._

_Bobby had gone into the men's room and soaked a handful of paper towels with water then handed them to Les. He was trying to get me to come around while Bobby snapped the ammonia tablet he'd taken from his emergency shoulder pack._

_Back to the land of the living, I flailed my arm grasping for one of them. Once I was standing again, Les held me while Bobby checked my pulse._

_"She's coming down."_

_They tried to walk me over to the park type bench by the elevator._

_"Take me home."_

_Ranger was still screaming. I heard Gary and Olivia's attorney shouting as well. Olivia was walking toward me holding her baby. The baby she'd conceived with ..._

_She had a smirk on her face I wanted to wipe off with the Sig in my bag._

_"Now. Take me home right now."_

_"We'll take you to the car. Ranger will be done soon I'm sure."_

_Two armed security guards, their hands on the gun on their hips, exited the elevator then jogged towards the conference room. Two more came from the stairwell._

_"Shit." Les said seeing four uniformed men race down the hallway._

_"Get her home. I'll wait here."_

_I stumbled toward the stairwell as Olivia approached._

_"Get her away from me or I'm going to kill her."_

_Les covered my head with his jacket and nearly dragged me down the stairs as Bobby stepped in front of Olivia and stopped her cold. He covered her flapping jaw with his hand. She must have bitten him because I heard him cry out. He'd need a rabies shot, was the first thing that came to my mind. Les got me into the Expedition. I was fastening my seatbelt when Bobby arrived._

_"Ranger's going to ride home with Tank when they're through. He wants Stephanie out of here."_

_"How do you know that?" Les asked._

_"Tank came out into the hallway just before another security guard pulled Olivia off of me. The damned bitch bit me then kicked me in the chin. Fuck that hurt."_

_"Les. Please. I want to go home. I have to get away from here."_

_Although the ride home was a blur, I was aware that Les continued to hold me and rock me while Bobby drove._

_Once in the apartment, I stripped as I ran to the bathroom. I felt sullied and needed to cleanse my body and mind of what I'd just been told. The water pounded on my head as tears flowed in torrents. Bobby called to me from the doorway._

_"Steph. You okay. Do you need me?"_

_I knew I had to answer or he'd come in to check on me._

_"Go away. I want to be alone." My voice echoed off of the tiled walls._

_"Steph. Let me check on you. I need to know you're okay?"_

_"I'm peachy Bobby. Just peachy."_

_"Steph. I'm not leaving until you let me check you. Ranger would never allow me to leave you like this without checking on you first."_

_I turned off the water, hastily covered my dripping body with my robe then stormed out of the bathroom and slammed into Bobby and Les standing just outside the door._

_"I'm peachy, Bobby. Just fucking peachy. I just found out that my husband of nearly six years lied to me. Looked me straight in the face and swore he was telling me the truth. He lied. He's been sleeping with her, that, that, bitch. And now..." my anger subsided and pain returned. "She's given him the son I can't. I'm peachy guys, just friggin' peachy."_

_I pushed my way past them into the living room. My hair was still dripping and I doubted that I'd eradicated all of the shampoo._

_"Steph you can't believe any of this." Les stood beside me with his hand on my shoulder,_

_"I have proof. In writing. Clinical proof that my husband cheated on me then lied about."_

_"Steph. He said he didn't do it. He couldn't have. You have to believe him."_

_"I did but not anymore."_

_Ranger walked in with Tank a few feet behind him._

_"Steph. What are you saying? I told you the truth."_

_I walked up to him quickly then slapped him across the face as hard as I could, causing his neck to snap. He didn't see it coming._

_"Stephanie. Calm down." He grabbed my arms and held them gently but securely at my side._

_"You lied to me, you sonovabitch. You fucking lied to me."_

_I felt my throat stricken as I spoke. Spittle flew from my mouth as I began to screech wanting to pound on his chest with my fists. I struggled and wriggled to get out of his hold._

_"Let go of me."_

_He released his firm grasp._

_"Babe. Stop this craziness."_

_"What? You call this crazy? I'll show you crazy."_

_I punched him in the jaw as my knee came up between his legs. Bobby and Les pulled me off of him and Tank tugged at Ranger. His own ire rose although I didn't know how or care why._

_"STEPHANIE. STOP!" He yelled with a touch of venom. Tank yanked harder._

_"Am I going to have to separate you two?" Les said with a chuckle just before I reached out and belted him as well._

_"Go." Ranger barked to the guys trying to keep me from killing him. "I can handle my wife. I don't need you." His eyes never left mine._

_Nervous glares bounced back and forth before Bobby said._

_"Boss. She's upset. Let her calm down before we leave."_

_"You think you can handle me?" He dodged my fist as I kneed his thigh._

_"GO!" He grabbed at my arms again._

_"You're angry. Don't hurt her Ranger." Tank said with his hand on Ranger's shoulder._

_"Get out."_

_Three sheepish little boys left with their tails between their legs as Les made the phone sign with his pinkie touching his mouth and his thumb at his ear. "Call me." he mouthed._

_"Stephanie, Please." His voice was soft. "I know you're upset. Let's talk about this. Like adults."_

_"Sure." I said as I rounded my shoulders still restrained by his hands. "I can be an adult." I was as cool as a cucumber. I shook my head swinging my wet hair from my face._

_"Good. Are you going to hit me again if I let you go?"_

_"No."_

_He let me go and I took another swing but he was prepared, spun me around then handcuffed my hands behind my back, kneed me behind the knees and I went down like a dead oak tree in a hurricane._

_"What did you do that for, you sonovabitch? Don't you trust me?" My voice was muffled from the thick carpeting on the floor._

_"Do you trust me? Apparently not or you wouldn't have attacked me." He helped me stand. "Now. I'm going to remove these cuffs. We're going to sit on the couch and you're going to talk to me. Make no mistake. If you attack me again, I WILL put your lights out. Is that clear?"_

_"You wouldn't dare."_

_"Wouldn't I?"_

_"Bastard." I tugged at my restraints._

_He placed his hand on my shoulder and began to squeeze._

_"Stephanie. Please. I don't want to do this to you."_

_"Fine. I promise." Calming, I focused on my behavior and he released me._

_I walked toward the couch with my head held high then sat in my chair. The red leather chair, a Valentine's Day gift from my husband, right beside the fireplace with the lovely forged iron shovel, ash brush and log poker with the sharp edges. I crossed my legs at my ankles like a lady, tugged at and closed my robe securely then folded my hands on my lap. Ranger sat on the end of the sofa closest to me._

_"Now. Are you ready to listen to me?" He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, his hand joined together._

_"Yes." Butter melted on my tongue._

_"Okay. Right after you left, Gary …"_

_"I couldn't breath."_

_"What?"_

_"I couldn't breath. I had to leave the room."_

_"Of course. I understand that. Right after you left Gary told Olivia's attorney…"_

_"Don't. Don't say that name in this house."_

_"Sorry. Gary told the other attorney that we wanted the test re-done by ..."_

_"Why?"_

_"Why what?"_

_"Why do you want the test re-done?"_

_"Well, I would think that would be obvious. Anyway. Gary told …"_

_"I…"_

_"Would you please let me finish a sentence?"_

_"Carry on." With a sweeping hand motion I indicated the he should continue._

_"Thank you. The gist of it is that sometime within the next few days there'll be another test done by a lab of our choosing this time. It takes a few weeks to get the results back, as you know, but this should all be over soon. I should have insisted on that from the beginning." Then he chuckled. "I also reiterated that I would not pay child support for that kid."_

_"Great." There was a clear-cut lack of enthusiasm on my part. "Are you done now?"_

_"Yes." He said hesitantly. "I thought you'd be pleased."_

_"Really? You thought I'd be pleased that I now have definitive proof that my husband, my lying cheating carousing husband lied to me and I was stupid enough to believe him." I stood quickly and raised my arm to hit him again but he beat me to it. "You lied to me. I trusted you." My lower lip quivered as tears leaked down my face._

_He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me._

_"Stop it, Stephanie."_

_"I believed you Ranger. I trusted you."_

_I yelled._

_"Stephanie I didn't lie to you."_

_I struggled to get free of his grasp. "Let go of me. I hate you."_

_He released me with a push then walked toward the fireplace. I may as well have stabbed him with the poker. He stood with one foot leaning on the edge of the grate as he fiddled with a knick-knack on the mantle then with his back to me he spoke calmly._

_"Well. I see. My own wife doesn't believe me."_

_"That's because you're a liar. And a cheater."_

_He turned sharply and slammed the side of his fist into the palm of his hand pounding a mean beat to his every word._

_"I did not have sex with Olivia Daniels. Get that through your thick stubborn head right now Stephanie. This whole ordeal has been hell on me, on us and I'm tired of having to defend myself to you and everyone else."_

_"I can't stand looking at you right now."_

_I turned my back and headed for the kitchen. By the time I'd reached the fridge, he'd gone into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Actually he'd slammed it. I assumed he'd change into his work clothes and head to his office for the rest of the day or go to the gym to work off some steam. A few minutes later he opened the door. I thought he'd try to apologize and make nice like he always had when we'd fought of late. I wasn't ready to forgive him but I was willing to listen to him grovel. He had his duffel over his shoulder. Without a word he exited the bedroom toward the living room._

_"Where are you going?"_

_He didn't answer but continued stomping headstrong toward his office across from the dining room. I followed him. "Where are you going?" He continued to ignore me as he disconnected his laptop and stuffed it into his bag. "Did you hear me? Where are you going?"_

_He finally looked at me. This time he was the one with the hatred in his eyes. He'd never looked at me like before._

_"There's an empty apartment on the fourth floor. I'll be staying there until you're ready to apologize."_

_"Me? What do I have to apologize for? You're the one who's sleeping around. Not me."_

_He pushed past me and headed for the front door again._

_"Ranger."_

_The elevator arrived just after he pressed the down button. The door magically opened and he got in without looking at me. As the door began to close I said these immortal words I would soon come to regret._

_"If you leave now, don't bother coming back."_

_"I don't intend to." The door clicked._

_"You'll regret this." I said with no force behind it._

_The elevator hummed. I continued to stand in an angry stupor until I heard the elevator stop. The grinding sound told me that the door was opening on the fourth floor. I pictured him walking out into the long dark gray hallway toward the very last door, Tank's old apartment that I knew to be the only empty apartment at the moment._

_I waited all evening to hear the familiar tapping on the door or for it to open and I'd find Ranger standing there contrite and repentant. I waited for the phone to ring the theme to Batman or to beep telling me that a text message waited for me from him, but the door never opened and the phone never rang yet the sun still set. I read the same page of my book so many times I might have memorized it had I paid any attention to what I was reading. I ate dinner, a dish of plain yogurt, and lay in our bed alone. I didn't cry. I had no tears left, dry as the Sahara._

_The following morning, with still no signs of Ranger, I dressed then headed to my office by seven. The gym was humming, the cafeteria buzzing. I looked for Ranger but he was nowhere to be found. His office door was shut and locked up tight. Using my key, I opened the door. It felt different but I didn't know what it was at first until I found a white envelope on his desk addressed to me. Carefully I turned it over and slit it open._

___Stephanie: I have gone to Boston to tend a few issues. I will be gone for a few days. If you need anything, talk to Tank. Please do not call me. I will not answer your calls. I do not feel that any conversation we would have at the moment would be productive. Until our tempers dampen, we should remain apart. Ranger_

_Wounded and angry, I refused to live under his veil of lies and deceit and gratuitous hurt. I knew what I had to do. I returned to my office and shut the door locking it in the process. I let my pride get in the way of my better judgment._

_CH – 18 - D-I-V-O-R-C-E_

_Unable to avail myself of the services of our business or personal attorney Hunter Michelson, due to the conflict of interest, I was forced to seek out my own counsel, which I did. I'd considered hiring my brother-in-law Albert Kloughn but when I called him he said that he preferred dealing with corporate tax issues and that he didn't want to get mixed up in what was going on. Albert is a wimp with no backbone. He offered his sympathy then highly recommended Attorney Marc Hanlon so I gave him a call. I set up an appointment for later that day._

_Under the pretext of shopping to try to lessen the stress of Ranger's abrupt departure and the devastating results of the DNA results, I'd managed to sneak over to Attorney Hanlon's office that afternoon. I actually returned with a few shopping bags to keep my guise intact._

_I'd taken the opportunity to set the wheels in motion and filed for d-i-v-o-r-c-e. I still can't say the work out loud._

_Trust me when I tell you that talking to Attorney Hanlon about ending my marriage to Ranger was the hardest thing I'd ever done. It was difficult and painful beyond belief and brought me no peace of mind as I drove the few miles back to the apartment._

_I cried throughout the entire process and had to leave to room to regroup at least twice. I'd taken the pre-nup with me because I knew he'd want to see it._

_Originally, when we married, I wanted nothing from Ranger. Nothing at all. I had his love and his loyalty and trust, so I thought, and felt that was enough. I still wanted nothing yet I knew Ranger would insist on abiding by the pre-nup._

_I'm not educated but I'm not stupid either. I knew full well that I would be unable to run Rangemen on my own or any of our other businesses or holdings so I decided that I would try to keep it simple. Maybe Ranger would concede._

_The entire building was aware that Ranger had moved out then gone to Boston to cool off by the start of business that day but no one managed to find out about the divorce until Ranger returned a few days later._

_I had continued to sleep on the couch in our apartment while he was away but I desperately wanted out of that confining space. Too many memories were on the seventh floor so I'd considered taking a room at a hotel nearby at least temporarily. I wondered for a moment, if my old apartment was occupied or vacant._

_Ranger had always said that the penthouse was our home and that if I wasn't there it was no longer a home just a place where he slept and ate like before we were married. I had to agree that I now felt the same way._

_There was a small, two bedroom condo a few blocks from my folks. No upkeep._

_I wanted to keep my position at Rangemen. I was part owner after all, but physically working out of the building on Hayward was going to be too painful seeing him day after day. Knowing that if the she devil ever showed up with that baby and I had to watch them interact, it would kill me so I planned on working from my new home as soon as I could arrange it. I'd talk to Tank._

_I would work from there via fax and e-mail as much as possible. I'd go into the office to pick-up and drop off my folders when Ranger was out of town or on the road. I'd hoped he'd move back to Miami but I knew that when I'd mention it to him, he'd blow up at me. Maybe he'd move in with Olivia. Oh God! Just the thought, even now, brings on more pain that I can abide._

_Ranger had returned from Boston and had just gone into his office when Carl began passing out the day's mail, as always. His lap was overburdened with a white USPS mail bin. Most of the mail would end up with Ranger or Tank but Carl always brought it to me first for review. I sorted out the junk them passed it on._

_As I rummaged through the stack of white and manila colored envelopes and flyers, I came across the one I knew would bring a definite visit from the man in black. A large ominous manila envelope stared back at me. Attorney Hanlon had mailed the preliminary divorce papers I'd signed a few days earlier. I threw it into Ranger's pile carefully covering it with the rest of the mail. Carl rolled past me again with a mug of coffee in his hands so I called out to him._

_"Hey, Carl. Would you take the mail to Ranger and Tank, please?"_

_"Sure Mrs. Boss."_

_Carl had taken to calling me Mrs. Boss. He was trying to be respectful. I'd have to straighten him out at some point. It looked like before long I wouldn't be Mrs. anybody._

_I began to count down the seconds until my office door would fly open and Batman would come storming in. I never managed to get to the other side of my desk to head to the restroom or cafeteria to hide when I heard the walls of Jericho come tumbling down._

_"Jesus Fucking Christ."_

_It was loud and clear as though there were no walls or locked doors between us. His office door flew open and hit the wall just before heavy booted footsteps headed down the corridor toward my office._

_Rangemen mercenaries heading down the hallway scattered like rats deserting a sinking ship. One of the boots I'd heard stomp down the short distance toward me kicked my office door open. It cracked easily causing it to bounce off the wall leaving it hang precariously from its broken hinges. I mentally pictured one of the guys heading for the stockroom for another door._

_"Yes?"_

_I said innocently as I looked up at him standing before me like a bull about to charge after the matador holding his red cape for safety. His nostrils were flared and fire shot from his brown eyes. His face was beet red and he was definitely not smiling as he waved the innocent unopened manila envelope in front of me before he tore in half, then half again letting the quartered pages rain onto my desk._

_"What the fuck is wrong with you, Stephanie?"_

_His bellowed tone reverberated against the damaged wall before it filtered down the hallway and into the cafeteria._

_"Excuse me?"_

_Innocent of any wrong doing, I held my pen in my hands like a music conductor's baton about to begin a symphony._

_He glanced at the shattered door briefly before he lowered his voice but only slightly._

___"No voy a firmar esto. No ahora, no. Nunca. Me oyes, Stephanie? Nunca."_

_He spoke in Spanish mostly, just as he always had when he was upset or angry. It was his native language allowing his thoughts to flow more freely._

_"Well, you'll have to sign it eventually or be held in contempt of..." I began to recite in a soft easy tone as honey slid off of my tongue._

_"Fuck that." He screamed._

_"Ranger. Keep your voice down. __Quieres que los vecinos me oyes?_ "

_"I do not care who hears me."_

_I jumped just as the side of his fist hit the glass protector on my desk causing it to shatter. As the cracks spread across my blotter, they resembled the pictures you see on nature shows as ice forms on windows in sped up time._

___"__Por qué estás__haciendo esto__?"_

_"I would think it would be obvious why I'm doing this. You cheated on me."_

___ "I did not."_

___"__En serio?__Eso no es__lo que__dice__el ADN__."_

_"Fuck the DNA. It's wrong."_

_"Yeah right."I crossed my arms then leaned back in my chair._

___"Stephanie, por favor. _Olivia is behind this. You have to know that. Please!"

_"__Usted__me ha abandonado_, Ranger. Remember? You're the one who moved out of our home. You're the one who took off for days without a word."

_"I will NEVER allow you to divorce me."_

_"Really? Maybe you should move back to Miami like you originally intended."_

_"Not a chance."_

___"__Por__qué te fuiste__?"_

_"I left because I needed to cool off so I wouldn't hurt you after…." His voice was barely a whisper. He never finished his sentence. "I'm not moving to Miami without you. You're my wife and you live here in Trenton so that's where I'm going to live. __Con__mi esposa__."_

_"Well then, I'll move to Miami."_

_No way would I move to Miami. I loved it there, absolutely loved it but we were married there. I could never manage to live there alone. Not without Ranger._

_"Fine. Then I'm going too."_

_"Make up your mind. Here or there."_

_The ugly banter continued as he lowered his head biting his upper lip._

___"__Esta conversación__no ha terminado__la senora__Manoso__." _

_His boots made two small dark circles as he spun and headed for his office and slammed his door, while mumbling under his breath. Next I heard the distinctive click as it locked behind him. I heard a thud, then another as something else hit the wall before the squeak of his chair like that of a dying bird. There was the slamming of desk drawers. Ranger had always been one to keep his emotions in check and never showed his horrendous temper in front of me until this all occurred._

_He returned, as he'd warned._

_"And another thing. I'll continue to stay in the apartment on the fourth floor to allow you time to come to your senses, but make no mistake. I WILL move back upstairs and you WILL be there waiting for me."_

_He slammed his fist on the broken glass again as he spoke tearing the flesh from his hand, causing the blood to spatter. His voice softened again as he held his bleeding hand to his chest, droplets creating a random pattern on the broken glass._

_"We've gone through too much together. We've worked too hard to let it end like this. I won't let you do this to us. Please Stephanie. Don't do this. __Por Favor, __no hagas esto__."_

_The red dots were now connecting forming a small ruby pond on my desk._

_"You need to have Bobby look at that." I pulled a handful of tissues from the box sitting frightened on the corner of my desk._

_I was hurt because of what he'd done to me but he was still a human being and still my husband and God knew how much I still loved him. I stood and approached him to show the support that I actually felt. Bobby was already at my door. Some of the other guys peeked through the open door reminding me of meerkats._

_"This conversation is far from over. We're going to settle this today. I'm coming back as soon as Bobby stitches me up."_

_"What happened?" Bobby looked at the blood dripping from Ranger's cradled fist. "Christ. You never do anything half assed. Do you?" Bobby said as he led Ranger to the infirmary while wrapping a handful of paper towels around his injured hand._

_"What's going on here?" Tank demanded as he watched the commotion._

_"Ask her." Bobby said over his shoulder as he nodded toward the torn divorce papers on the desk and floor. Tank picked up the pieces and filtered through them._

_Blood continued to drip like red cough drops toward the elevator. Luis was called to clean up the spill and appeared with his bucket of disinfectant. The sloshing water and mop, reminded me of Moe cleaning up the dirt and tread marks in the movie __Wall-E_.

_"Stephanie? Care to explain?"_

_"No. I would think it would be obvious to a smart guy like you."_

_As the large Mickey Mouse clock ticked above my head, I decided to take my leave before Batman returned._

_After the confrontation with Ranger, I went for a drive. I'd been riding around town long enough trying to avoid the inevitable. I had to tell my family before they heard it through the Burg grapevine but it was doubtful that I'd catch that train._

_I'd hoped to find a foe so I headed to my parent's. They'd never been crazy about Ranger, preferring Joe, but they'd accepted him with open arms when we married. I'd already decided, as a lame excuse for delaying my visit that if a Rangemen vehicle was parked out front or nearby, I'd move on. I approached the tightly packed residential neighborhood, where I'd grown up._

_Intermingled maple, oak and birch trees branches spanned across the street, I found a parking space right out front. Yanking the gear shift lever into park, I turned the key then opened my door._

_Grandma was standing at the door with her purple sweat pants and matching shirt and hair. She smiled at me._

_"Hi Grandma."_

_I said as she trotted down the porch steps toward me._

_"Hey Stephie. What are you doing here in the middle of the day?"_

_"I need to talk to mom and dad."_

_Grandma knew immediately that something was wrong. It may have been the swollen watery eyes._

_"What's wrong Stephie?" She wrapped he bony purple clad arm around my shoulder. The dam broke so I told her what happened. That I'd been to an attorney and filed for divorce and the fight that Ranger and I had had._

_"Let's go for a walk." I nodded. "No one will know that you're crying but me. Pretend to smile." She bared her yellow teeth, I followed her lead. "That's my girl." She waved to Mr. Cabochon. "Hey Earl." She poked me so I waved too and smiled._

_Grandma never said a word to me about Ranger and the "D" word. We talked about the weather, the Yankee's and Red Sox baseball series coming up and anything else she could think of to distract me. She held my arm for support though she was supporting me not the other way around. By the time we'd rounded the corner and approached my folk's house, I'd calmed down a tad._

_Mom was standing at the door as though she was expecting someone. The phone had been ringing off the hook. She already knew._

_I shouldn't have bothered making the trek to my parent's house. Quickly, I discovered that my mother and father had already taken Ranger's side and invited him to dinner whereas I was asked to stay away when he was there._

_"Leave the man alone, Stephanie. He's having a hard time with all of this. I would think you'd be more supportive." My dad said._

_"Stephanie. I think it would be best if you didn't come for dinner this week. Ranger is coming and I don't want him to be uncomfortable in our home. You can come another time." My mother had added as though he was her son and I was the wicked daughter-in-law._

_Lula and Connie had other lunch plans on Thursdays apparently, which had been our day for the past several years. They were busy the rest of the week too Connie had said when I stopped by Vinnie's office, for a shoulder to cry on. I found none._

_"Steph. Sorry but I, uh, something has come up." Connie had said to me as she fluffed her hair refusing to look at me when I showed up._

_"You got a lot o' nerve driving the man's car when you won't share his bed. You're doing him wrong Steph. I gotta say it. You know I don't hold nothin' in. Tankie and me, we discussed it. You ain't treatin' him right." Lula said when I met her going into McDonald's. I left in tears and returned to my office to sulk._

_I'd gotten no sympathy from either of them. I even called Mama but she nearly hung up on me._

_"I understand that you are hurt Stephanie, but my son would never do this to his wife. He never even cheated on Rachel and that was only a marriage on paper because of Julie. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to uh… I have to … "_

_"I see. Goodbye." I was dismissed._

_As word got out and spread like wildfire about the divorce, my world collapsed around me like a sinkhole after a heavy rain. People took sides immediately in the most peculiar way. Friends, my friends took Ranger's side as well as most of his friends although it went back and forth depending on who you were talking to at the moment. I made note of who was back stabbing who. I felt neglected and alone as though he'd been the one who was wronged._

_I was definitely feeling sorry for myself so I shut my office door, then took the leather seat behind my desk and tugged at the file at the bottom of the pile. I'd just flipped it open when I heard a knock at my door and a friendly face appeared._

_Hector tapped on my office door._

___"Hola Estefania. Como esta usted?"_

_I dabbed at my eyes then wiped the tip of my nose._

_"Okay." I said unconvincingly._

___"Almuerzo?_

_"Thanks but I'm not hungry." I pretended to blow my nose when actually I was drying my eyes._

___"Tengo hambre. Por favor?_ We just eat, yes?"

_"Hector. No, I really …"_

___"Por Favor?" _He begged like a little boy, his hands clasped together under his chin as though in prayer.

_How could I resist that protruding lower lip in the center of that heavily bearded face resembling a grizzly bear? That and an invitation to lunch with a six foot four, three hundred pound, Hispanic ex-gang member covered in tattoos and scars carrying at least three guns that I could see? He was so adorable._

_"Sure. Let me go wash my face. I'll meet you in the garage."_

_"No. No. I wait for you."_

_Turning to look at him, I said, "What? You don't trust me?" He smiled._

_Hector took me to our favorite restaurant, that seedy little place called "__El Maton_" The Bully, on the wrong side of the tracks near Stark Street where the hookers, their pimps and drug dealers hung out on every street corner. This was a neighborhood that you could enter but might never leave in anything other than a body bag, and that's if you were lucky enough to be found at least partially intact.

_That was Hector's neighborhood. Where he'd grown up and lived until Ranger hired him. He was a dichotomy. He could break a man's neck with his bare hands or slit his throat with a knife or place a bullet between his eyes without so much as a blink and had on many occasions. He feared no one but was feared by anyone who knew what he was capable of, yet he, like Tank, loved cats. Pictures hung on the beige fabric walls of his cubie like they were his children._

_Lunch was delicious as we ate comfortably and I began to relax. I hadn't had a decent meal in days._

_Since I'd been lectured by most everyone I'd been in contact with as a result of the shredding of the manila envelope on my desk incident, I assumed I'd get the same treatment from Hector. 'Bring it on,' I thought but Hector never said a word about it. He only talked about his cats with side-of-the-mouth details of passers-by as we ate. He made me laugh. I hadn't had a good laugh in a long time either._

_"How is Raoul working out? Is he happy at Rangemen?"_

_"He smart. He work hard. He good man __Estefania_."

_"He seems to know what he's doing. Ranger…" I swallowed. "Ranger is pleased with his work."_

_We returned to Rangemen after a detour at the 'Dairy Queen' for a strawberry sundae which we shared._

_"Thank you for lunch." I said as I stood on my tippy toes to kiss the new tear tattoo on his cheek._

___"Di Nada."_

_"And for not preaching to me."_

_"I no do 'dat but I say one thing. Sometimes what you see is not what is."_

_"I don't know what you mean."_

___"Las cosas no siempre son lo que parecen."_

___"Gracias Senor Ramirez."_

_I'd have to remember that. Did Hector know something too?_

_It was after seven o'clock a day or so later and the sun was just about to set. My eating habits had quickly gone from bad to worse only now my bad habit was to skip meals altogether. The separation from Ranger, though short, was killing me even more than it had after we'd loss Edna Rose. Hell, it was killing both of us. Plus the most of the guys, except for Les and Hector, seemed to be taking Ranger's side, not mine. I really couldn't blame them. They'd know him for years. Much longer than they'd known me._

_Once I'd taken a bottle of juice from the fridge and a peach for my dinner, and my jammies and robe were secure, I settled myself in the corner of the cream colored sofa and pulled out my crossword puzzle book from the magazine rack beside me. Anything to distract me from the thought of Ranger and another woman. That woman. Olivia Daniels._

_"What's a nine letter word for a type of public transportation? Starts with an M. Ends with an H. Meredith. No. Not enough letters."_

_Ranger would chuckle._

_"Babe? Have you even ridden something called a Meredith?"_

_"No, but I bet you have."_

_"Irrelevant." He'd say before he'd give me the right word._

_Ranger._

_God how I missed that man and everything about him._

_My mind had wandered a bit when I heard a commotion at the door._

_Laughter filled the air as Ranger walked through the door with Olivia hanging on his arm. They were kissing and groping each other like teenagers. Like we used to do. I wanted to say something like, 'Get that bitch out of my home.' but the words wouldn't come out. I felt my mouth move but I remained silent._

_"Babe, let's skip dinner and get right to bed. We haven't had sex in over an hour."_

_When he called her Babe, my heart exploded._

_"Anything you say, Batman."_

_Their clothing fell to the floor like falling autumn leaves then they ran into the bedroom naked as the day they were born. The door remained opened as the sound of their love making rang against the walls. Like a voyeur I didn't move as they remained ignorant to my presence._

_"Babe. I can't believe I ever left you all those years back. My marriage will be over soon and I'll be free of that crazy woman so we can be together forever."_

_Olivia screamed his name then he followed suit. I couldn't take it anymore and forced myself to get off the couch and run out of my own home. I'd set fire to the bed in the morning. As I ran to the door, my legs ached from the strain but I made no progress like I was running the wrong way on a conveyor belt. I jumped at the door. It was my only chance of escape. I never felt the blow as I hit my head on the door._

_I can't tell you how long I laid on the living room floor beside the coffee table where I'd hit my head and knocked myself out when I took that leap in my sleep. My head pounded like someone was behind me banging on a drum. Someone with muddy boots had run up and down my tongue and deposited pennies along the way. Blood had pooled on the beige rug under me and continued to drip slowly off the tip of my nose when I tried to sit-up. I held my head in my hands when I tried to stand as I fell back onto the sofa grateful for the leather that would be easy to clean. After a number of tries, I managed to get myself to the bathroom leaving a trail of red discs on the floor and smudged bloody finger marks on the walls._

_There was a gash just above my ear that had bled so badly that the hair on the side of my head was matted with goo as bright red blood continued to trickle and drip slowly into the sink. I had a bump near the gash the size of a duck egg._

_Feeling my way into the galley kitchen, I filled a zippered plastic bag with ice and placed it on my head. I felt dizzy, goofy and nauseous. I probably had a concussion. I wanted to call Ranger but… well… It was late, nearly 1AM. I took a deep breath and called Bobby. I knew that his shift ended a few hours ago but he usually hung around with the guys until one or two before he went back to his apartment on four._

_"What!"_

_He answered as though I was really inconveniencing him and I'm sure I was._

_"Bobby I'm really sorry to bother you at this hour but I need some help."_

_I leaned my head on the edge of the kitchen cabinet trying to let the dizziness and ensuing nausea pass. I may have been more frightened than hurt._

_"Call your husband. Oh wait. You don't have one anymore. You threw him out."_

_I let the cold comment pass. I was in no condition to get into a pissing contest with anyone._

_"Bobby. I hit my head. I can't stop it from bleeding. I have a…"_

_"When?"_

_"When what?" I said unable to comprehend._

_"Stephanie. When did you hit your head?"_

_"I don't know."_

_"Do you know how you hit your head?"_

_"No. Yes."_

_He paused. I could see him rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand._

_"Stephanie. Listen to me. Did you fall?"_

_I began to cry._

_"I'm not sure what happened. Bobby, my head hurts and I'm bleeding. I'm dizzy and nauseous. Please."_

_"Do you think you'll need stitches?"_

_"Huh?" I was becoming more incoherent by the minute._

_"Five minutes."_

_I tried desperately to focus but my vision had blurred and the sounds in the apartment appeared to come from inside a tube or like my head was under water then the room began to spin. I hit the deck just before Bobby opened the door. He made no comments about the blood on the floor and the walls as he helped me toward the sofa again and eased me into a prone position. He snapped an ammonia tablet under my nose. It took a while before I began to fuss and paw at him._

_"Your blood pressure is high. Considering the smack to your head and what's going on, I'm not surprised."_

_He unfurled the blood pressure cuff then removed the stethoscope from his ears._

_"Look at me."_

_He held my chin in his hand and flashed a tiny penlight in my eyes._

_"You're going to need stitches."_

_He dug into his bag and pulled out a syringe and needle filling it from a small glass bottle._

_"I'm going to give you a shot to numb the area. It's going to hurt a little but only for a second."_

_I was still too goofy to care, which was probably just as well. I hate stitches. He cleaned the area then put in a few sutures and covered them with a bandage._

_"You're lucky Steph. You could have hit your temple."_

_He gathered his unused bandages and gauze returning them to his bag._

_"How's your headache? Would you like me to leave you something for your headache?"_

_I'd forgotten about the headache until Bobby mentioned it._

_"Yes please. If you don't mind."_

_"Of course."_

_He took a clear amber colored plastic container from his bag and removed a few white tablets which he placed on the coffee table then handed me the warm juice that I'd left on the side table. I swallowed two of the pills._

_"Thanks."_

_"Sure." He stood with his bag in hand. "If you need me, you have my number."_

_He turned to walk away._

_"Bobby?"_

_"Yes?" He stopped, his annoyance with me returning, but didn't turn._

_"Thank you. I know you did this for Ranger more than me but I want you to know that I appreciate you coming up here at this hour to take care of me."_

_"Yeah sure."_

_His pace increased. He couldn't wait to get the hell away from me._

_"Please don't tell Ranger." I called out as an afterthought._

_"Why not?" He turned to look at me with fire in his eyes. "You're still his wife and an employee. He has a right to know and I have a duty to tell him."_

_"But…"_

_"But what? You don't want him to worry about you? It's a little late for that isn't it?"_

_With his hand on the door, he said. "You should stay awake for a few hours. You may have a slight concussion. I would recommend that you get an x-ray but… Call me if you need me or if you get any worse. I'll stop by in a few hours if I don't hear from you." Then he was gone._

_I'd alienated most every one of the guys at that point. My friends were dropping like dominoes._

_Still lying on the couch, I raised my arm over my head hitting the covered gash. It stung. The meds hadn't kicked in yet and my head throbbed. My hair was still sticky with dried blood. Salty tears poured from my eyes. I'd become accustomed to having my husband care for me when I was sick or injured, and now, for the first time in several years I was alone with my pain. I hiccoughed a sob as the apartment door opened._

_"Stephanie?" Ranger called softly. "Steph? Where are you?"_

_I tried to sit up as he approached._

_"Here. On the couch."_

_Briskly, he walked over to me eyeing the blood everywhere as he sat on the coffee table beside me._

_"You okay? What happened?"_

_He placed the back of his hand on my forehead then my cheek ignoring the disaster that once was my hair._

_"What happened?" He repeated. I guess I hadn't answered him fast enough. "Do you remember?"_

_He still had folds in his cheek from sleep. He smelled of beer and cigarette._

_Afraid to tell him the truth that I'd dreamt about an encounter between him and Olivia, I told him a tiny fib._

_"I tripped and fell then hit my head on the coffee table."_

_From the look on his face, I knew he'd seen right through me._

_"How did you trip?"_

_"The laces on my runners had come undone."_

_He glanced at my bare feet._

_"I see."_

_"What? You don't believe me?" Unable to look him directly in the eye, I checked the cuticle on my finger that I'd neglected._

_"I have no reason to doubt you, do I?"_

_"Let's not go there, okay?"_

_He stood before me again._

_"You need to stay awake for a while in case you have a concussion. I'm going to clean up the blood."_

_"That isn't necessary. I'll do it." I tried to get up but fell back onto the couch still too dizzy to stand._

_"Sit."_

_He handed me the crossword puzzle then went to the utility closet where he removed a bucket and mop. The smell of pine and disinfectant filled the air as I attempted to concentrate on my puzzle._

_"Steph?"_

_"What?"_

_"Just checking. I'll be doing that often. Don't get angry."_

_"Fine. I'm doing just fine."_

_"What's a four letter word for idiot? Ends with an E. How about dope? Maybe it's wife." I mumbled under my breath._

_Ranger was standing, his hands joined together behind his back, by the tall dining room windows staring out into the night. It was darker than dark. Not a star in the sky. There was a knock at the door. Ranger walked easily and greeted the person standing on the other side of the threshold. The threshold that he'd carried me over nearly every anniversary, birthday, veteran's day, grandparent's day, whatever day._

_Olivia walked into the foyer holding a small bundle wrapped in a light blue blanket. She handed the package tenderly to Ranger._

_"Your son." She said softly._

_"My son?" He said with awe._

_"Your son. Take him."_

_Gingerly he unwrapped the delicate package revealing the tiny life within._

_"My son." He repeated as he gazed adoringly at the naked baby reaching for his father's face._

_"MY son." He said again only louder as he took the child and held it to his breast._

_"My SON." His voice was elevated and trembling as he spoke of the little man in his arms._

_The son I would never be able to give him._

_Then, reminiscent of the scene from __Lion King_, he held the squealing infant over his head with both hands and cried out. "MY SON! I HAVE A SON."

_My voice became shrilled as I attempted to scream, while a hot flaming poker digging deep into my chest turning left then right where a pounding heart had once lay beating._

_"Stephanie? Stephanie?"_

_A warm comforting hand was on my back while another squeezed my arm gently but firmly._

_I turned my head to see Ranger sitting beside me, holding me. My heart was still functioning yet racing, drumming a wild jungle like beat._

_"You okay?"_

_I nodded my head reminding me that I had a fresh bump and the mother of all headaches._

_"Yes." I whispered as he pulled me into his chest and held me, tears pouring down my cheeks still too fuzzy headed to differentiate between my nightmare and reality._

_"Where's Olivia? And the baby?"_

_"Olivia? Why would Olivia be here with her baby?"_

_"Because…"_

_Shifting in his seat he pulled back._

_"Are you going to tell me the truth now? What happened? How did you hurt yourself? No more lies, Stephanie."_

_Too weak and in too much pain to fight him any longer, I spilled my guts revealing everything I could remember from my dreams or better yet, nightmares._

_"You understand that none of that is real right?"_

_I was going to nod again but he held my face in his hands. They were wet and smelled of cleaning solution._

_"Yes." I squeezed out._

_A whoosh of air left his chest as he pulled me close again and held me. He kissed my boo-boo then the top of my head._

_"What am I going to do with you Stephanie?"_

_We spent the rest of what was left of the night, turning quickly into early morning, talking business to avoid the white elephant in the room. Nothing special. He was just trying to keep me awake to prevent any more nightmares._

_By the time the sun had come up, I'd put in my 'awake' time for the possible concussion. My headache was mostly gone although the gash still stung a little. I was exhausted. Ranger convinced me to go to bed to get some sleep. Although terrified of more nightmares, yet convinced they were just that, I was too sleepy to argue. I headed for the bedroom with my husband on my heels. He tucked me in then kissed my forehead out of habit, I thought._

_"Get some sleep." He handed me my cell phone. "Call me immediately if you have another nightmare, okay?" He patted the phone on his hip._

_"Okay." I said apparently unconvincingly as he wrapped my fingers around the phone._

_"You're still my wife, Stephanie, if only for a short time longer. I want to take care of you. Please let me." He lowered his head slightly then raised it again. "If not as your husband, let me help you as my friend."_

_"Okay."_

_"Promise?"_

_"Promise."_

_Ranger kissed my forehead again, smiled weakly then left the bedroom closing the door behind him. He seemed to be puttering around the kitchen._

_I was frightened that the next scene I'd witness would be of Ranger and Olivia together again. I heard clanging and water running then shortly after, smelled the familiar aroma of freshly brewing coffee just before I heard the toaster pop. It was quiet after that yet I couldn't remember hearing the apartment door open or close. I still felt his presence so I drifted off again easily and dreamlessly._

_Sometime later when I finally woke up for good, I heard voices in the living room, soft and hushed. My nightmares came to mind again but I heard Ranger and Bobby talking while a thin beam of light from the afternoon sun shone into the apartment then got bigger exponentially as the bedroom door slowly opened wider._

_"Steph? Are you awake? Bobby's here to check on you."_

_"I just woke up." I tried to raise myself up on my elbows._

_The door opened fully. Ranger, Bobby and Les poured in. Les sat on the edge of the bed and took my hand._

_"Jeez Steph. You don't mess around, do you?" He gently touched the bandage covering my war wound. "Ouch! That's nasty."_

_"Les. I can't check her out if you're sitting there. Move." Bobby growled._

_Les got up, walked around the foot of the bed and sat on the other side._

_"Better?" Les snarled as Bobby placed the BP cuff around my upper arm. He nodded then emptied a few items onto the bed in the space between us._

_"How's you headache?" He asked as he flashed a tiny white light in my eyes._

_"Tolerable."_

_"Do you want anything more for pain?"_

_"No. I'll take an Ibu if I can't stand it."_

_"Good girl. I'm going to check your stitches and change your bandages. Your blood pressure is back to where it should be." He said reading the dial then he cocked his head. "Hmm?"_

_"What?" I asked._

_"You have another bump on your forehead."_

_"Must have missed it last night." Ranger injected protecting me from more questions about the nightmares. I'd apparently hit my head again during the second nightmare episode._

_"I guess I did." He said knowing the issued was closed._

_Once Bobby and Les had gone, Ranger remained clearly unsure if he should join the guys and leave or face me and stay._

_"How are you really feeling?"_

_"Drained."_

_"Hungry?"_

_"Somewhat. What time is it?"_

_"Nearly one."_

_"Have you been here all morning?"_

_"Yes. I hope you don't mind but I worked from the office up here. I wanted to be nearby in case you had more nightmares."_

_"You didn't have to do that but I appreciate it. Thank you."_

_"You're welcome. I'll leave you alone now. If you need me, I'll be in my office downstairs. I won't leave the building."_

_As he turned and headed for the door, I knew he didn't want to leave any more that I wanted to see him go. I touched his arm._

_"Did you get any sleep? You look tired."_

_"I'll sleep later. Tonight after dinner maybe."_

_"I'm sorry that Bobby woke you up last night."_

_"Stephanie. Don't worry about me. I'm fine."_

_"No you're not. You're exhausted and you haven't been eating either, have you?"_

_"Stephanie please. I'm fine."_

_I reached up to touch his tired face as he closed his eyes._

_"Ranger I still care about you. Just as you still care about me. I'm concerned that you aren't taking care of yourself."_

_"That's nice to know. To hear the words."_

_Suddenly it came to me. A reason for him to stay a little longer._

_"Would you stay a few more minutes?" I tugged at my matted hair. "I'd like to take a shower and get rid of some of this blood. I don't think I should do it alone. I must be a sight."_

_He chuckled. He'd never have admitted it to my face._

_"Sure. I can help you if you'd like or just stay nearby. Whatever you want."_

_"You haven't showered yet either. Maybe it would relax you."_

_He cleared his throat._

_"Don't tease me Stephanie."_

_"I'm not teasing you. We've showered together lots of times, even just as friends. Don't you remember?"_

_"Of course I remember."_

_And we had, many times over the years before we married. After a take down gone bad, or a particularly difficult distraction job._

_I stood then headed slowly toward the bathroom a few feet behind him._

_"I'll get the water started then slide the chair in for you in case you get dizzy again."_

_Some years back, we'd purchased a waterproof chair to help Ranger shower when he'd lost the use of his legs. We decided to keep it. It had come in handy many times._

_I dropped my robe and with Ranger's help I got into the ceramic and glass enclosure and let the water hit me. The gash stung a bit but only for a second._

_"You're thin Steph." I ignored him._

_The Bvlgari shower gel was gone, hidden in the vanity under the bathroom sink, so I filled my sponge with strawberry scented gel and began to scrub._

_"I'll be right here."_

_He slid the door shut, dropped the toilet seat cover and sat patiently while I showered. His elbows rested on his knees, his hands holding his head. His eyes were closed._

_I'd showered the night before just before my ordeal but it was my hair that needed attention. As the water hit my head, I realized that I might not be able to do it alone plus I'd been standing for a while and I was getting woozy. I slid the door open._

_"Ranger?" I said softly in case he'd fallen asleep._

_"Yeah." He lifted his head and rubbed his face with his palms. "What do you need?"_

_"I'm getting tired. Could you wash my hair for me?"_

_"Sure."_

_He stood quickly and approached with a tired smile then reached for the shampoo._

_"Sit Steph. I'll take care of it."_

_As I sat, he aimed one of the many shower heads at my skull. I watched small chunks of sticky dried blood race for the drain like misshapen miniature rats deserting their ship. Ranger let the water run then filled his palm with shampoo. He gently rubbed it into my scalp then threaded his fingers through my hair mindful of my new flaw. I'd always loved the way he massaged my head when he shampooed or untangled my hair._

_I must have purred because he said, "Steph, am I hurting you?"_

_"No. Why do you ask?"_

_"You're moaning."_

_"It feels good." I could feel his smile._

_That's when I realized that he was still dressed and soaked to the skin._

_"Ranger. You're dripping wet. Why didn't you take your clothes off? You could have showered too."_

_"I'm no longer allowed."_

_I could have been angry and I was a little but it was my fault. It was always my fault. Dammit._

_"I'll give you a reprieve. Take those wet clothes off."_

_"I'll shower after you're taken care of."_

_"No. Now. I'll sit here and behave. It's stupid to do this any other way."_

_He sighed and shook his head in defeat, too tired to argue with me as he peeled the soggy t-shirt from his torso. He kept his back to me as he lowered his sodden cargoes to the floor. He let the water run on his head and down his back then filled the sponge with the herbal gel._

_"You're thin too." Without thinking I touched his back, his skin twitched at my touch._

_"Sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out."_

_"You didn't. I just wasn't expecting it."_

_He turned the knob and the rain stopped. With the glass door opened a crack, he reached for a towel then tied it around his waist and stepped out of the tiled enclosure. He offered me his hand so I stood and carefully walked into the lush towel he held for me and covered my shoulders holding it tightly in front of me._

_"Okay?" He asked._

_"Thank you for your help. I'm not sure I could have done this alone."_

_"Are you okay to get dressed by yourself? I'm going to make us something to eat."_

_"I think so. I've been sitting. I should be fine."_

_"Good."_

_He walked out of the bathroom. I heard his footsteps reach the dressing room where most of his clothes still hung in anticipation of his return to the apartment we'd shared for the past several years. Within seconds, he was dressed and headed for the kitchen._

_"Okay Steph? Do you need me?" He called out as he passed by the open bathroom door._

_"I'm fine, thanks."_

_He was already in the pantry as my dry yet toweled body entered the bedroom. I dressed in jeans and a blue and white striped shirt, his shirt, then took to the kitchen where Ranger was busily preparing sliced roasted chicken sandwiches on whole wheat bread and sliced fruit for dessert. He was pouring two glasses of skim milk when I sat at the bar, my hair still a tangled mess but clean. He was looking at me and my rat's nest. Unconsciously, I tried to smooth it down._

_"It's a mess. Did you mange to get all of the dried blood out?"_

_"I did. And it isn't a mess. Stop fussing."_

_"How can you say that? Look at it. It's going everywhere." My arms flailed to make my point._

_He reached across the bar and stroked my hair._

_"I love your hair. Crazy as it is. It's you. It's part of what makes you who you are."_

_He realized he was touching me so he pulled back then picked up his sandwich and took a bite._

_"So. You think I'm crazy, do you?" I thought of what he'd told Olivia in my nightmare._

_"No Steph. That isn't what I said or meant and you know that. Don't put words in my mouth."_

_I swallowed a bite of my own sandwich then took a sip of milk._

_"I know. Just yanking your chain."_

_I added with a smile as I took another bite. He shook his head but he smiled. We remained quiet for a bit as we worked on our meals._

_"This is nice."_

_"What is?"_

_"Sitting here with you. Sharing a meal and not fighting."_

_"We haven't always agreed on things but we've never fought only when we talk about the …" he left the comment drop like a rock._

_"The 'D' word?" I found I couldn't say it either at that moment._

_"Yeah." A light frost hung above our heads for a few seconds. "We have to stop. It's killing both of us."_

_"I agree. Truce?"_

_He wiped his mouth with his napkin then pushed his nearly empty plate away. I don't think I've ever seen him finish a meal in all of the time I've known him. He stood to leave._

_"I think I should go."_

_"What? Why? We aren't arguing. I thought you'd stay a little longer. I thought we were getting along."_

_"We are and I don't want to spoil that. This has been difficult on both of us but we can't just pretend that nothing has happened." He looked at me then clicked the door handle. "I have to go."_

_"Ranger please. Can't we talk some more?" I tugged on his arm, "I forgive you. Please come home." I begged._

_He didn't pull away but he didn't give back either._

_"Stephanie, I love you more than anything but unless and until you're willing to accept that I never cheated on you and you feel that you can trust me again, we're never going to tear down this barrier that we've erected between us."_

_"Ranger I can overlook…"_

_"No Stephanie. You're not getting it. You're ready to forgive and forget but I haven't done anything. No truce. I won't compromise."_

_"I'm sorry but…"_

_"See? I have to go. If you need me, call me. I'll be in my office. Goodbye." The door was closing when I called out to him._

_"Ranger."_

_"Yes.?"_

_"I want you to come home. I'll do whatever it takes to make this right. If that baby is really not yours…"_

_"If?"_

_"Ranger."_

_"Stephanie. I hate this, this mess we've gotten ourselves mixed up in with the Daniels. I want nothing more than to get our lives back to the way it was before that damned phone call. I want to come home. It wouldn't take much to twist my arm to pack up my things and bring them back upstairs. I'd give us every chance I could but Stephanie, I know for certain that if we got back together right now, that within a short period of time, we'd be at each others throats and I'd be back on four again. I don't want to do that, Steph. Losing you as my wife is one of the hardest tasks I've ever been assigned, but losing you as my best friend, well, life wouldn't have the same meaning anymore. But Steph, if you don't believe in your heart that I've been faithful and that I'm telling you the truth, we're wasting our time. I don't want your forgiveness. I've done nothing wrong. What I want is your trust. The trust you've shown me for the past several years until the Daniels darkened out door. Do you understand?"_

_"I'm sorry. I wish …"_

_"I have to go. I have a ton of paperwork to take care of."_

_"I'm sorry I took up so much of your time." I was feeling dejected._

_"It's not a problem. I'm not complaining. Okay if I check back with you later? See how you're doing?"_

_"I'd like that. I'd like that very much."_

_CH – 19 - Deliverance_

_I spent the rest of that day and night alone in the apartment with no nightmares, yet still a little dazed. Ranger never came back or called but he texted several times. I texted back._

_The following morning I returned to my searches. I'd no sooner settled myself at my desk and cranked up my computer when I head a knock on my door._

_"Come in. Door's open."_

_The door squeaked as Ranger appeared._

_"Hello Stephanie. Do you have a minute?"_

_"Hi. Sure."_

_He walked over to small beige leather love seat across from my desk and sat uncomfortably as he cleared his throat._

_"What do you need?" I folded my hands placing them on the folder I'd held._

_"How are you feeling this morning?"_

_I touched my bandage._

_"Tender but the headache has pretty much subsided."_

_"That's good. I'm glad." He coughed to break the tension that still existed between us. "I just wanted you to know that I was heading out to Miami later today." I waited for him to continue, the air getting thicker_

_"It's review time so I may be gone for a few days. I have to be back to go to court on the tenth."_

_"Oh yes. Of course."_

_I'd glanced at the Garfield calendar on my desk as he spoke. We'd done this trip together every year about this time but he was early. Now I understood why. I'd assumed that he didn't want me with him this time._

_"Will you be stopping to see __Abuela_? You know she gets pissed off at you if you don't visit with her when you're down there."

_"Actually she called this morning."_

_"Better go then or there'll be hell to pay." I smiled trying to get him to do the same._

_"Yeah." He pretended to smile but it was a waste of time. He stood to leave and spoke with this back to me. "You're welcome to come with me but I understand, under the circumstances, if you choose not to go." I didn't reply so he continued. "I'll e-mail the report for your review before I post it to the permanent personnel files or you can review them with Tank when I get back. That's probably best."_

_The door lock clicked and he was gone._

_Since the beginning or our life together, we'd gone to each location alternately every three months for a few days to conduct annual employee and substation financial reviews and some sightseeing. These trips were like little mini vacations for my workaholic husband. They were nice breaks._

_I heard another knock at my door._

_"Yes, Ranger. Come in."_

_I thought he'd come back to ask me to join him again. But that was just a dream on my part. Why did I feel the need to be begged?_

_"Steph? Do you have a minute? Can I talk to you?" Tank said as he peeked in._

_"Tank? Of course. Come in. Sorry. Ranger was just here. I thought he'd forgotten something. What can I do for you?"_

_He shut the door then sat where Ranger had been just a minute earlier._

_"Stephanie."_

_I knew instantly that this talk would turn into a speech because he called me by my full name._

_"Normally I'd say this is none of my business but I'm afraid it is my business."_

_"What's that?"_

_I leaned back in my chair and braced myself for the inevitable._

_"Shit." He mumbled as he stood then began to pace on the fake fur rug between my desk and the small love seat. His hand passed over his smooth bald pate before he spoke. "Steph. It ain't right. You have to stop this divorce."_

_"Tank. I don't think …"_

_"Steph. Do you know what it's doing to him? Do you care?"_

_He was angry but tried to remain calm as he spoke._

_"Tank. This is between Ranger and me."_

_"No it isn't. He's my brother. I care for him. Have you looked at him lately? Have you taken five minutes to talk to him?"_

_"He was just here. I told you that." I said._

_"What did you see as your husband of six years sat before you?"_

_"I saw a business man talking to a partner about business."_

_"See? That's what I mean."_

_"Tank."_

_"Did you look at his eyes? He hasn't slept properly in months. Not since this nonsense with that damned Daniels woman began. I saw him taking a shower in the gym the other day. He isn't eating. I bet he's lost ten pounds, maybe more. Did you notice that?" I had noticed it when we'd showered together. "When he told you he was going to Miami to do reviews, the reviews you two have always done together, didn't you hear him beg you to go with him?"_

_I swallowed the lump in my throat. Of course I'd noticed. So why hadn't I acted upon it? Again, why did I feel the need to be begged?_

_"No you didn't because you're so wrapped up in yourself and your damned selfish pity party that you can't see what you're doing to him." He rubbed his face hard then continued. "Steph. You have to stop this. You can't go through with it."_

_My chair squeaked as I stood and took the picture of us together in Miami at the gutted out beach house we'd just bought. Repairs had been placed on hold temporarily because of the upcoming trial and now this. I wondered if they'd ever resume. I wondered if I'd ever get to sit on that beautiful porch and watch the surf crash on the beach as the seagulls circled overhead._

_"He hurt me, Tank."_

_At my side he touched my shoulder as my tears flowed._

_"He didn't do it. You have to believe him. Trust him. He's never lied to you before."_

_"But…"_

_"But what? Steph. You do searches for a living and have for years, long before you guys got married. Find the truth. Help him clear his name. Be the wife you promised you'd be to him. He needs you now more than ever."_

_I'd known Tank Thibodeau for over ten years and in all those years he'd never put more than four or five words together in the same conversation never mind the same sentence._

_"You've got a lot to say Pierre." I said as I turned to face my prosecutor, judge and jury._

_"I save it up."_

_He chuckled so I hugged him while he let me cry on his shoulder._

_"Shit. Don't cry. Lula's gonna have my hide."_

_"She's not talking to me right now. She'll never know."_

_"She'll come around when this is all over. You'll see. She loves you just like the rest of us."_

_"Thanks Tank."_

_I wiped my nose as I pushed away from the big black man and took my seat in front of my laptop._

_"Now get out of here so I can put my marriage back together."_

_"That's my girl. Should I make your plane reservation to Miami now or later?"_

_He had the nerve to look sheepish as I adjusted my eye glasses._

_"I have some phone calls to make first and some searches to run. See if you can get me something to arrive at Rangemen around dinner time or later."_

_"Will do." He saluted then returned to his office._

_All flights were booked for that night and most of the next day. The soonest I could get to Miami would be late the following day. Ranger had planned on being there for a few days so I felt I was safe. Tank booked my flight and agreed to take me to the airport in the afternoon. I had two days to find the truth and save my marriage. The mirrored ball had begun its descent._

_I wasn't exactly sure where to initiate my search. My head was so full of ideas that I needed to clear it out before I began. I wanted to do this correctly for me, my marriage and especially for my husband. He deserved better from me, like Tank said. Maybe I should start a list._

_It was still early in the day so I decided that I'd stop by the bakery for donuts to see if I could bribe Lula or Connie into talking to me then I'd go shopping. I'd needed to pick up a few things for my trip to Miami. Lunch after that. Then come back to work with more lucid thoughts._

_As I entered the garage to get into my Mercedes, I noticed that the guys had gathered around a vehicle parked just outside the building blocking the bay door area. Apparently the driver wanted entry and Hal and Raoul wouldn't allow it. The Rangemen building was known for its security. I assumed that someone might have been lost and was looking for directions or maybe thought that there was public parking inside._

_That's when I heard loud voices and Les ran passed me as well as Cal and Vince. Carl was sitting anxiously in the control room behind the bullet proof glass, his finger pressing on the speaker button of his mouthpiece._

_A woman had gotten out of the car then tried to get past the black wall of men to enter the building on foot. She was tall will long dark hair pulled back from her face. She appeared to be attractive from far. It was when I'd gotten a little closer that I realized it was Olivia. Olivia Daniels. The she-bitch_

_"I'm here to see Rick." She announced as the guys, my guys, stood firm._

_"Nope. You aren't allowed in this building."_

_"Who says?" She insisted with her hands on her hips._

_She was wearing short beige shorts and a bright green tank top. Her belly was still puffy from the baby._

_"Ranger. We have strict orders not to allow you into this building."_

_"Really? Well I have his son with me in the car." She pointed to the faded plum colored Saab. Mrs. Dominique, her housekeeper, was sitting in the back of the car beside the car seat. "He has court allowed visitation rights. I'm here to let him visit with his son."_

_"Sorry. Ain't gonna happen, ma'am. We've got our orders. Now run along with your little bastard son. Ranger ain't interested in your kid."_

_"How dare you?"_

_Four letter words were thrown from both camps as Mrs. Dominique emerged, her purse swinging like a pendulum on her arm._

_"Call him immediately. I insist." She hollered above the din._

_"He ain't here."_

_I wasn't all that certain if he'd left for the airport yet or not. Vince could have been lying to protect Ranger._

_The battle raged so I snuck out the side door. I'd hop over to the next block and grab a cab._

_As I rounded the building, I passed the deserted Saab. I didn't mean to look but something turned my head. My curiosity was probably going to kill the cat but I peeked anyway. I was glad that I had. I could feel my head clearing._

_I caught a glimpse of the top of the little boys head first. Although there wasn't much hair up there, what little there was, was very light. Instantly I realized that the child appeared to be quite pale. I don't mean as in ill, I mean as in fair skinned. Olivia's skin tone was very similar to mine and Ranger is well, very dark skinned being of Cuban decent. Edna Rose had not been that fair skinned. She was a nice mix of the both of us._

_Lawrence had been fair skinned as well, to the best of my recollection, as was Edward, the blond haired, blue-eyed guy she was now calling her brother._

_The baby was sitting quietly sucking on his pacifier as I was watched him. He turned his head slightly at my movement. My curiosity had garnered me a small gift as I looked into his eyes. His eyes were blue. Olivia's eyes were brown. Ranger's eyes were brown. I tried to remember back to my high school science class. The Genetic Eye Color Chart. Was it possible for two brown eyed people to produce a blue eyed baby? I'd have to check that out._

_I also noted that he was quite large for a preemie as she'd claimed. I was certainly no expert but that kid didn't look like a premature baby to me. I though back to Edna Rose again and how tiny she was and how her skin was more purple than pink. Mary Lou's sister had twins at just seven months and they were small enough to fit in their dad's hand._

_Maybe, just maybe, Ranger was telling the truth and had not slept with her to create that child as he'd professed. I decided to play detective. To hell with the donuts. To hell with the shopping. I returned to my office._

_I remembered something that Ranger had mentioned. He'd apparently met Olivia about the same time he'd met Rachel. I wondered if they knew each other or if she might know of her. I called Rachel. Maybe she could shed some light on the lovely Mrs. Daniels._

_The phone rang several times and I was just about to give up when one of her younger children answered the phone._

_"Martine redisence." I heard the other sibling giggle. "Shh. That's what mama said to say."_

_"Hello?" I called out._

_"Martine redisence." She repeated._

_"Hi. My name is Stephanie Manoso. Is your mommy home?"_

_"Mom." The little girl yelled into the receiver. I'd permanently lost some of my hearing ability in that one ear, I was certain of it. "Julie's Dad's mother is on the phone."_

_I heard Rachel. "Tell her I am coming." She sounded far away._

_"She says she's coming." The phone banged against something before Rachel picked up._

_"What did I tell you about dropping the phone and letting it swing against the cupboard like that, eh? That is vey loud in someone's ear." She said from a shorter distance._

_"Sorry." The little girl said just before I heard a door slam._

___"Hola Mama. Como?"_

_"Hello Rachel. It's me, Stephanie."_

_"Stephanie? I thought …"_

_"I think your daughter got the relative thing confused. How are you?"_

_"We are good. I hear things are not going so good for you two. I am sorry Stephanie."_

_"Thanks."_

_"Is there any chance that you will take him back? Julie, she talks about it. She is concerned for her father. She says he is very upset."_

_"That's sort of why I'm calling you."_

_"Me? What can I do?"_

_"Rachel. I think he might be telling the truth."_

_"Really? I am surprised to hear you say this."_

_"Did you know Olivia Daniels when she lived in Miami?"_

_"Olivia Daniels. No. I never heard that name."_

_"How about Rejeanne Michaud?"_

_"Rejeanne Michaud? Oh my yes. We went to the same school together."_

_"What do you remember about her?"_

_"Well, she lived on the other side of the tracks, as they say. But she was such a snob. She thought she was beautiful, and better than everybody else. Her shit did not stink. You know? She was going to go places. Marry a millionaire. Live in a mansion. She was just poor trailer trash. Her mother worked two, sometimes three jobs, to keep Rejeanne dressed like everyone else. She spoiled her rotten."_

_Rachel continued._

_"She was a hard working woman, her mother. Rejeanne's father, he died when she was very little. He liked to drink and beat up on Rejeanne and her mother. Well he got good and drunk one night and fell asleep in the wrong place. He was robbed and beaten. He died a few days later. They moved in with another couple from the same trailer park after the funeral. The wife caught the old man and Rejeanne's mother in bed. There was a cat fight and the wife took off. They lived together for a long time that I remember. I do not know if they ever married. But maybe."_

_"Did they ever have children together? Rejeanne's mother and this man?"_

_"I do not think they had children but he had sons from what I remember. Two, maybe three. Good looking boys. Tall, blond. Rejeanne made the rounds, was the rumor. The old man had a good job as a truck driver so they stuck around."_

_Hmm. I'd have to dig into that further. I certainly had my work cut out for me._

_"His name?"_

_"Let me think."_

_Rachel pondered while my gears ground together._

_"Where is he now?"_

_"I think he died too or maybe he just left them, this second __merido_, our second or third year of high school. He was around in June and gone by September. Another smoker and drinker. Her mother hooked up with some other man from Hialeah, near Carlos' _Abuela_, right after, but he disappeared too so they came back to the park I heard, for a short time. Another damned Frenchman just like the father, and the boyfriend. Another drunk too."

_"You don't remember his name?" I pressed._

_"Oh shit, I forget."_

_"Did the mother drink too?"_

_"Not a drop. Never understood her fascination with drunken Frenchmen."_

_"What do you think really happened between Rejeanne and Ranger, if anything?"_

_"Well, I would speculate that she wanted him to sleep with her. She was very easy and he was very handsome when he was younger and very flush with his money too. Ask me, I know. I fell for it." She laughed then sobered. "My only excuse was that I was too young to know any better."_

_"Would you describe her as a gold digger?"_

_"Oh yes. Most definitely. Her mother too." She continued. "Anyway, my guess is that she finally got him to take her to bed hoping she would get pregnant then she would be set for life. He was a punk. He stole cars and broke into beach houses when the owners were away. That is why his wallet was always full. I am sure that you already know this, but when he was drunk, he was useless in bed. I should have gotten him more drunk that night, eh?" She laughed._

_Ranger was not a drinker. He'd have the occasional beer or a glass of wine socially or with dinner, but I seldom, if ever saw him drunk. He was a control freak and getting drunk meant he'd lose control. He'd let the real Ricardo Carlos Junior loose. Nasty tempered? Yes. But a dud in bed? Impotent? Never. I thought that Rachel might be lying to cover her own embarrassment. She always blamed Ranger for getting pregnant, like she'd had nothing to do with it. Her closet skeleton, not mine._

_"Besides, if he had been doing drugs at the time and I am sure he still was, he would not remember her the next day. Now that would have pissed her off. She was very begrudging. The French, they hold grudges for years."_

_If Olivia was still angry at Ranger for dumping her or ignoring her when they were teens, perhaps this was all an act of revenge. But why now after all these years? More possible fuel for my fire._

_"So they never really dated or anything?"_

_"Hell no. He never slept with the same girl twice. Not even me. That is why I was surprised that he married you. Although Julie says he loves you. Go figure."_

_"Do you remember her mother's name?"_

_"Let me think. She was French of course, from Canada. Barely spoke English. The kids used to laugh at Rejeanne because she spoke with an accent. Hispanic accents were allowed but not French in our neighborhood. She had a big nose too."_

_"She's had that fixed." I thought back to the small delicate crooked nose._

_"That must have cost a fortune. There was a lot to fix." She laughed again only more heartily._

_"Her name? The mother? Think Rachel. I really need your help."_

_"Oh yes. I remember now that her mother's initial were the same before she remarried. Let me think. Michaud. Mary, Martha, Myrtle. No. No. It was a French name."_

_"Margaret?" I volunteered with crossed fingers._

_"Yes. That is it. Margaret. Margaret. D… D something."_

_"Dominique?" Had I hit the jackpot?_

_"Yes. Yes. Margaret Dominique. That is it. I remember now. Rejeanne and her mother were very close. They left Miami after we finished high school, like I said, when the third husband was out of the picture. I don't know where they went after that. I wonder if she is still alive, the mother."_

_"Alive and well."_

_"How do you know this?"_

_"She's pretending to be Olivia's housekeeper."_

_"Well I'll be damned."_

_"Thank you Rachel. You've been very helpful. I appreciate it."_

_"Listen. I don't really hate Carlos. Not anymore. He gave me a beautiful daughter that I adore but we were much too young at the time. What we did, it was wrong. We do stupid things in life that we sometimes regret. He is a good man now. He would have been a better father to Julie if I had let him. I regret this now. I can not tell you if he actually slept with Rejeanne or Olivia or whatever she calls herself now, but he loves you Stephanie. If you love him, forgive him."_

_"Thank you Rachel. I'll consider it. Goodbye."_

_"Goodbye."_

_"Oh wait. Did you remember the second husband's name? The one with the sons?"_

_"No. I am sorry. But I do remember this. The boys, their names all started with the same letter. Is this a French thing?"_

_"I don't know that. Thank you again, Rachel."_

_"I will call you if I remember anything more."_

_I made a large note in my notebook. __Margaret Dominique is Rejeanne's mother_. There were brothers too. Two maybe three and their names all started with the same letter. It wasn't much to go on but it was a place to start. It would hopefully explain a lot.

_Next I had to work on decoding more of Olivia's lies._

_I'd been privy to the DNA report 'proving' that Ranger was indeed Olivia's baby's father so I cranked up my computer search engines and typed in the name of the lab that had performed the test._

_Meadows Labs, located in Massachusetts, had supposedly run the tests. I looked up Meadows Labs. It was located off of Soldier's Field Road, west of Boston. They were used by most local municipalities and were reputed to be trustworthy and reliable._

_According to their website, they boasted having government contracts but they didn't actually do DNA testing at that location. It was strictly administrative offices. They sent their work to their Seattle location. I found no Meadows Labs in or near Seattle. They had a few satellite labs under different names so I checked with all of those too. None of them did DNA testing for paternity issues. Those were sent off to some place in Denver called Mahtgaghi Labs._

_Mahtgaghi Labs was affiliated with other much smaller labs located in Mexico and India. I was surprised to find that the former CEO had been governor at one time but had since sold his interest due to loftier interests. It was now owned by someone else. But who? I would guess that security concerns had waned as testing scrambled down that legal ladder._

_After endless dead ends online and a few delicately placed phone calls with my cell phone, I stumbled on a small piece of information. I discovered that all of the paternity testing was supposedly performed in a lab south of the border called RRN Labs._

_Luckily when I called, the young woman I spoke to in Spanish (thank you Hector) named Angelina, was distraught as the result of a recent pay cut and whispered to me. I pictured her covering the phone's mouthpiece with her hand as she told me that the lab was, in fact, owned by a company in the US called OLD LLC. But that she had never actually dealt with the owners. OLD? Olivia and Lawrence Daniels perhaps?_

_The secretary's name that she had spoken to was a Jackie Something that she couldn't pronounce. The woman had a strong French accent. The owners were listed as Rejeanne and Ralph Nadeau from Seattle._

_Rejeanne and Ralph Nadeau? RRN Labs? Weren't they one of the owners of one of the properties that the Daniels professed to own? Was this Ralph Nadeau the middle husband? The one whose name Rachel couldn't remember, the mother's roommate? The father of the two or three boys that Olivia grew up with? And was he really dead or was he still alive?_

_I asked Angelina if they'd done any testing for anyone that lived in the US recently. New Jersey specifically. She said that the place in Seattle was just a shell and that they didn't usually perform any real testing there at all. They did some testing in Mexico where she lived and worked but not much. They simply matched up the requested names. RRN Labs had a huge account with the Maury Povich TV show apparently._

_She was a scientist with a PhD and had been hired as a research assistant but had been relegated to desk duty with minimum pay for the most part. We made friends quickly. Nothing like a disgruntled employee dish the dope._

_Angelina added that that damned Jackie woman was a real bitch to deal with. She was angry and wanted to teach her a lesson and was very willing to spill the beans on that 'fucking frog'. Angelina herself had secretly performed the testing for a DNA sample for some court in NewarkNew Jersey. It was listed as case number 5789-12 and corresponded to a woman named Olivia Daniels. That information was supposed to be confidential but she relished in the splendor of revealing that tidbit of information to me. It pleased me. It pleased me very much._

_She admitted that she was instructed, or coerced, by this Jackie to make it match with someone named Ricardo Manoso. A rich __Americano_. She laughed. A positive match is usually 98%. That match wasn't even a possibility. Angelina had told the woman that there was no way in hell that he was a match. Jackie threatened to have her fired if she didn't cooperate. Angelina had three small children at the time and a sick mother. She needed the job such as it was.

_I thanked the girl and promised that I wouldn't tell a sole. Not one. No one except my husband, his attorney and the judge, that is. I should have gone with my gut instead of the evidence presented to me. How could I have been such a fool?_

_I took out a bigger shovel and began to dig further. I was on a roll._

_It always amazed me how one could weave a story from the tidbits of information that were hidden deep within the FBI's BSU or Behavioral Science Unit that collects crime data. It enables law enforcement or nosey people like me to get and match info with similar crimes across the country and beyond. There were other useful federal programs like VICAP - Violent Crime Apprehension Program Data or FMP, a fingerprint matching program that matches over 800 prints per second. Another great source was public records like death, marriage and birth certificates, and DMV records. Even old newspaper articles yielded a wealth of information. They weren't always fact filled but usually bore an amount of truth._

_These were all programs that I'd used on a daily basis throughout my tenure at Rangemen. My instincts and nosey nature had always been by best assets and served me well. Ranger had always been so proud of my abilities. He would be proud of me again._

_I also checked the Genetic eye Color Chart online, for the hell of it. There was less than a seven percent chance that two brown eyed donors would produce a blue eyed child. That percentage increased to fifty percent if one of the parents had blue eyes. Was one of the step brothers the father of Olivia's child? Was Lawrence Daniels really one of those boys? Or maybe the dad? Had Olivia married her own step-father? Were they really married?_

_As I searched Ralph and Rejeanne Nadeau, Margaret Dominique, Olivia and Lawrence Daniels, broken threads began to knit themselves together like an old afghan._

_When Ranger hired Raoul Menendez, I'd had my doubts so I thought this would be as good a time as any to do a thorough background check on him too, just for practice. I threw Carl Lamont into the mix for good measure. The dirt I pulled up on these Rangemen employees and the surprising connection to this whole mess was overwhelming. I had my secret weapons and my ammunition. Now if I cold only get my weapon fired off in time._

_I debated calling Tank but I decided that considering what I'd discovered, that it was safest for everyone involved to keep my mouth shut until I could put all of the pieces together and complete the puzzle. I'd tell Ranger and let him decide what to do. He didn't normally keep things from me, business wise, but there may have been a good reason for his secrecy, if he did know.  
CH – 20 - Declaration_

_As the day progressed, satisfied with my findings for the moment I went upstairs to the apartment then packed a bag for the next day. I'd have at it again in the morning. But first things first, I had two very important phone calls to make._

_After a heavy sigh and a deep cleansing breath, I punched in the Philadelphia number I'd memorized._

_"Dr. Troika."_

_"Hi Anna. This is Stephanie."_

_"Hi Stephanie. This is very late for you. Is there a problem?"_

_"Yes and no. Do you have a few minutes to talk on the phone? I can't come out right now and I have plans for tomorrow."_

_"Of course."_

_I gave her the skinny on my research without revealing the specifics, to break the ice. She was pleased that I'd turned over a new leaf and was taking control of my life again._

_Then I did what I dreaded the most. I told her the truth._

_"I haven't been totally honest with you."_

_"I know that. Are you prepared to tell me the truth? Admit it to yourself?"_

_"Yes. Yes I am. I'm ready."_

_"Wonderful. I knew you could do it. It was just a matter of time."_

_I opened up my heart and spilled the proverbial beans. As the prepared words spewed forth, I felt a great weight lift from my shoulders. At the end, Dr. Troika congratulated me._

_"I'm so proud of you. I know how difficult that must have been for you to admit. You've come a long way. Ranger is a very lucky man to have such a strong and devoted wife."_

_"I don't know about the devoted part but I'm trying to make things right. I hope it's not too late."_

_"It isn't. Trust me. I've seen that man look at you."_

_"Yeah well. I have to go. I have another phone call to make before I settle in for the night."_

_"Call me again if you need to chat or some red sauce. My husband went a little nuts with his last batch. I've considered filling the hot tub and soaking in it but that would just lead to…"_

_"Oh God, Anna. TMI."_

_She laughed a hearty laugh._

_"Take care Stephanie. I'll miss our weekly visits."_

_"Thanks Anna. Thank you very much."_

_Knowing that his office didn't open until 9AM the next morning, I left a message for my attorney Marc Hanlon. My cell phone rang at ten after nine the next morning._

_"Marc?"_

_"Good Morning Stephanie. What's so important?"_

_"I want you to stop the divorce. Cancel everything as soon as possible. If you need me to sign something, fax it over or I can be there in a half hour."_

_"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What's going on?"_

_"I don't want to go through with it."_

_"I thought you said you couldn't forgive him?"_

_"I don't have to. He didn't do it."_

_"Stephanie. Are you sure? The DNA proved he slept with her. You aren't thinking clearly." Marc wanted his paycheck._

_"I've discovered that the DNA evidence was falsified. Olivia's housekeeper is her mother and they may be working together to frame Ranger. I also found out that Olivia has gone by several other names over the years. She may have done this before."_

_"Wow, that's a lot to swallow. Are you sure?"_

_"Sure enough to beg my husband for forgiveness and hopefully fix my marriage before it's too late."_

_"It's your call. I'll get the papers together then fax them to you."_

_"Oh Marc. I have a special request. Could you do this for me?_

_I relayed my wishes to him._

_"Are you serious?"_

_"Yes I am."_

_"Okay. Whatever you want. I'm here to serve you."_

_"Thanks Marc. I appreciate it."_

_"No problem. Good luck Stephanie."_

_That afternoon, some time after lunch I tapped on Tank's office door._

_"I'm ready if you are."_

_"So soon? Your plane doesn't leave for hours. What did you find out?"_

_I raised my briefcase holding my iPad, paperwork and my laptop._

_"Got enough to bury that bitch and her cronies."_

_"Really?"_

_"Really."_

_He stood quickly with a big smile and pulled his car keys from the top drawer of his desk._

_"Let's go. We can talk on the way."_

_Tank drove me to the Newark airport and patted my hand twice as we discussed what I'd discovered about our little Olivia or Rejeanne or whatever the hell her name was. He'd quickly convinced me that sharing the info out loud would help put some of the pieces together to help solve the mystery. He was right._

_With a true bear hug goodbye he thanked me again when he dropped me off at the terminal, for what I was doing for his best friend. I'd really done it for us, Ranger and me. I kicked myself mentally for not having done it sooner._

_The airport was crowded with lots of kids apparently headed south on a class trip. I heard one of the chaperones talking about them having won a contest of some sort through the school system and their chorus club had been invited to sing at the 'Flamingo" a sort of night club for teens, at Disney World in Orlando. I was happy they weren't going to be on my flight because I was stressed enough already without a bunch of giggling pre-teens practicing their rendition of something I couldn't identify as the young boy's voices changed before my ears._

_I boarded my flight and took my seat as the six year old behind me began kicking the back of my seat as she sang along with some character I couldn't see on her individual TV behind my head. I was grateful for the moment when she fell asleep just as her little brother in the mother's arms began to cry due to the pressure in his ears as we ascended._

_Out of habit and feeling to need to be closer to Ranger, I pulled up his tracker on my GPS program. His vehicle tracker was still reading Newark which was fine because he'd driven his F150 alone then left his truck there to board his flight. What I found odd was that his personal tracker showed him to be somewhere between DC and Miami. He hadn't said anything to me about taking a detour so I wrote it off to the change in elevation and the plane's instruments. I knew nothing about such things and wanted to keep it that way._

_The flight to Miami was fairly short yet I wished I'd paid more attention when Ranger had taken me sky diving. I yearned for a parachute in bright reds yellows and blues to rid me of the kids behind me. Molly woke up when little David began screeching again as we descended. I felt badly for the kid but … Then dad hit me in the head with Molly's Little Pony backpack when she kicked him in the chin for not getting it down from the overhead bins fast enough. Mom looked at me with a smile totally oblivious to what her children were doing. I had to assume that mom had had a nip of something or maybe popped a happy pill before the plane took off. I know I would have._

_Tank had called Manny, Ranger's older brother who worked at the Miami branch, to tell him what time my plane would arrive so I sat patiently by the exit door watching for a black SUV. I desperately wanted to call Ranger to pick me up yet frightened that he wouldn't have come for me. The ice under my feet was still very thin._

_My phone beeped that I had a text message. 'Two seconds. Welcome to Miami." Manny's message said. I picked up my small overnight duffel and my bag then took the revolving door to the sidewalk. I instantly recognized the shiny black Expedition as it flashed its headlights at me. I waved. Manny wasn't alone and for a fleeting moment I thought it might be Ranger but it was his brother Paolo instead. Although Ranger was the youngest of the clan, and the most handsome, in my opinion, the Manoso boys looked very much alike._

_"Hey little sister."_

_Paolo said as he wrapped his arms around me bussing my cheek._

_"How are you holding up?"_

_"Okay." I said weakly not knowing exactly what Ranger had told his family about our separation and impending divorce. A divorce action I had put the kibosh on and had the papers in my bag to prove it._

_"I hope you don't mind that I tagged along when Manny told me he was coming to pick you up?"_

_"No. Of course not. It's nice to see you. How is everyone?"_

_"Great. If you're here long enough maybe we can have dinner."_

_"We'll see."_

_I had no right to make any plans without consulting with Ranger. That's the way we'd always done things in the past. Besides, I wasn't so sure I'd still be there in the morning. Ranger might throw me out on my ass when he saw me. It was no less than I'd deserved._

_"Steph." Manny said a little more stiffly as he hugged me without a lot of feeling. It was clear to me that Manny knew what had transpired and Paolo did not._

_Paolo spoke constantly as we drove the few miles to Rangemen. Once there, he took his white Mustang with the red vinyl interior and sped off into the night as the sound of the V-8 engine resonated off the concrete walls inside the parking garage._

_Manny walked over to a guy name Lorenzo in the control room. I'd never met him before. That meant he'd begun working for Rangemen before this stupid mess started because Ranger had spent two days in Miami interviewing a few new people._

_"Is Ranger upstairs?" I asked Manny as we approached the control room._

_"No. He only got here about an hour ago then left again. He said he was getting something to eat and would be right back." Manny saw me eye the Mercedes still parked in the space marked 'Ranger'. "He was on foot." He added._

_"Listen." He said to Lorenzo as he pointed to me. "This is Stephanie. Stephanie Manoso. She's my sister-in-law and Ranger's wife. Would you unlock the penthouse door when she reaches it?"_

_Ranger had the only door fob on him because we always traveled to Miami together or he went alone._

_"But…"_

_Lorenzo was trying to be cautious as he'd been taught._

_"Lorenzo. Look at the picture on the wall. Do you see the woman standing next to your boss?"_

_Lorenzo squinted at the photo, looked at me, then the photo again._

_"Yes sir."_

_"Thank you, Lorenzo." I said as I finger waved to him._

_Manny stood beside me as the elevator rose. I was always so fascinated by how much the Rangemen buildings all looked alike with few exceptions._

_"He doesn't know you're here. I didn't tell him you were coming."_

_"Thanks. I appreciate it." Then he turned to me._

_"Make no mistake, Stephanie. You hurt my family with this divorce. Those of us who know, are not happy with you. They all accepted you as Ranger's choice but now… You're going to have to work to earn back their trust."_

_"I'm sorry."_

_A rush of air filled the elevator as the door slid open on the penthouse floor._

_"He trusted you with his life. You should have trusted him that he'd never do this to you."_

_"Do you believe him, Manny?" I asked as my heart began to ache._

_"Absolutely. And even if I didn't, I'd still stand behind him. He's family. I wouldn't desert him the way you have."_

_"Do you all feel that I've deserted him?"_

_I couldn't hold back the tears uncertain if I was more hurt because of what he'd said to me, or ashamed of what I'd done._

_"Yes."_

_"I'm going to work on fixing that. That's why I'm here."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yes."_

_He smiled for the first time._

_"Thank you." He said then kissed my cheek warmly._

_The elevator door slid shut as the apartment door clicked. I pushed the door open slowly._

_A stale and stuffy smell filled me as I entered the darkened space like the apartment had been vacant for weeks or months. I flicked the light switch filling the foyer with a soft inviting whisper of a yellow glow as the heavy metal fire door made a soft whooshing sound and shut behind me._

_The walls in the Miami apartment were decorated in bright yellows, reds, greens and blues. All very Latin in comparison to the bland tans and blacks of the Trenton penthouse. Although I'd learned to love all of the apartments I'd come to call home, that unit had always been my favorite._

_I dropped my bag under the table that bordered the half wall to the sunken living room behind the sofa, then placed my small duffel on the couch. As I faced the kitchen and the breakfast bar I spied two empty beer bottles telling me why Ranger had walked to get his dinner instead of taking his vehicle. I removed the manila envelopes holding the cancelled divorce papers and research papers from my bag, hoping he'd again destroy the former as we discussed the latter. We'd go over it all as soon as he arrived._

_I hadn't had dinner so I checked the fridge. It hummed to life as I held the door open. I took it as a 'hello' or 'welcome back' but I found it held only water bottles and the rest of the six-pack of beer._

_The light under the microwave showed the dust swirl where Ranger must have touched the black stove top only moments ago. I found that odd since he'd been there for two days. I had to assume that Peggy hadn't had a chance to clean yet. Peggy was no Ella._

_Something else I'd come to take for granted. I thought of Ella and how she'd aged in the past few years. I'd taken on more of the cooking and cleaning duties thanks to her patience but I needed to do more for her and her husband Luis. But first I had to work on my marriage. I had to begin with my husband. My reason for being there that night._

_I'd spent the last half hour before I left Trenton trying to decide what to wear as the reports I planned to present to Ranger hummed off of the printer in his former office in the apartment we used to share. I was wearing an old paint stained tank top and cut off jean shorts at the time. No bra, no shoes._

_After a quick shower, I pulled most everything I owned from the closet and drawers. What does one wear to an event like this? My navy blue Chanel suit? Too formal. Worn jeans and a t-shirt? Too informal. A gauze skirt with a peasant blouse like Dr. Troika? May as well drop in naked. My Rangemen uniform? No. Definitely not. My hands on my hips I decided on a dark brown straight skirt that just brushed the top of my knees, a beige silk blouse and coordinating heels._

_I debated whether I should wear my favorite diamond earrings. The earrings that Ranger had bought for himself long before we'd met. The earrings that he'd given to me just before we married. I wore the earrings then slid my rings into the pocket of my skirt._

_Scanning the colorful rooms, they felt empty as I stood there alone. I'd spent years living alone and loved it until Ranger and I began living together. These past few eons apart had only served to show me how wrong I'd been. I didn't like living alone and I especially didn't like living without Ranger. Tears filled my eyes as I remembered the days gone by when Ranger would come upstairs and hug me from behind as I attempted to cook a decent dinner for him, for us. He'd make suggestions on how to repair what I'd messed up or ate whatever I served without complaint. He'd brush my hair after a shower. He'd massage my back after my time in the gym. He'd bring me coffee in bed most every morning. How had I repaid him?_

_Ranger's duffel sat on the bed. There was no smell of his delicious shower gel in the bathroom, in fact, the shower stall was dry. He hadn't even used the sink or toilet from what I could tell. He must have dropped his things then returned to his office when he arrived. What was it that Manny had said? He'd only just arrived? Where had he been the past few days? Was he even in Miami at all? I remembered the tracker._

_As I glanced up from my perch at the foot of the bed, I spotted his open briefcase on the bureau so I instinctively walked toward it. A large manila envelope from my attorney lay unopened. I took the envelope in my hands holding it to my chest as I began to tremble then sat back down. I could no longer control my pain as I began to cry uncontrollably._

_Once I'd managed to get myself together, I re-filled my bag then threw it over my shoulder and took the elevator back down to the garage in search of something to eat since the Miami larders were bare._

_We must have passed each other in the night as I took the elevator and Ranger took to the stairs._

_When he arrived back at the apartment, he dropped his keys into the silver dish on the sideboard with a gentle jingling sound then he set a white paper bag on the breakfast bar. As he reached the fridge to get another bottle of beer, he must have sensed a presence or noticed my duffel on the couch but not my bag. He removed the gun from the small of his back then walked quietly toward the bedroom. Gently he placed his hand on the door that had remained slightly ajar. It squeaked minutely as it reached its full open capacity._

_Seeing no form in his bedroom, he walked slowly toward the bed. "Stephanie?" He called out with his inside voice. Who else could it have been? But I wasn't there. "You didn't come. I knew it." He sighed. With the remaining bottles of beer in his hands, he took to the stairs again._

_After a stop at the corner diner for dinner, Bella, the owner packed up my leftovers then I made my way back to the Rangemen building where I hoped Ranger was waiting for me._

_As my shoes tapped a tinny beat along the path, I headed up the metal stairs with my evidence in a manila envelope tucked securely in my bag. When I'd reached the office floor, I met up with Sylvio in the stairwell. I was out of breath._

_"Hey Syl." I said as I leaned against the wall sucking air._

_"Stephanie." He was about as friendly as a slug. "Headed upstairs?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"He isn't there."_

_"I know. He went out for dinner. I'll wait for him in the penthouse." I pushed off of the wall prepared to continue my trek._

_"No he's back. Don't waste your time going upstairs. He isn't staying there. He took an empty apartment."_

_"What? Why would he do that?"_

_"Couldn't bear to stay there without you apparently?"_

_I ran my fingers through my hair._

_"Dammit."_

_"When is this going to stop Stephanie?"_

_I looked up at him._

_"Tonight. As soon as I find him."_

_Turning, I took one flight down toward the employee apartments. I walked the length of the darkened hallway toward the apartment where Ranger had apparently been staying. Make that hiding._

_Canned laughter slid from beneath one of the apartment doors, then more of the occupant's hearty laughter and someone else's. They were enjoying a prerecorded DVD of the previous night's Jay Leno show. In another unit, someone was talking loudly to his ex-girlfriend on the phone, I assumed. From what I could hear, he didn't sound happy._

_The rest of the flats were quiet although I thought I detected a faint whisper of Mozart as loose curly cue musical notes drifting out from the crack of someone's steel door that he'd left ajar. Other doors were closed and locked. No lights and no sounds. I thought the inhabitant might be out or asleep, which may have seemed odd to others at first glance, but I knew that a few of the residents may have been scheduled to work the night shift that night._

_The smell of cigarette, testosterone and guy BO was strong. I thought the smoke might be coming from Ranger's apartment but I had to admit I'd seldom seen him smoke before. Only when he was particularly angry or upset to the point of losing control as he had been lately. I'd caught him smoking something on the rooftop patio beside the air conditioning vents at home._

_I had just come out of the elevator that evening from a trip to the hairdresser with my grandmother, when I caught him. I smelled smoke. At first I thought that there might be a fire in the building but it was sweet. Since structure was mostly brick and concrete, I passed on that idea._

_I followed the smell to the top of the stairs that led to the deck. The dented and rusting metal door was slightly open. The smell increased in intensity the closer I got. Ranger was standing by the edge of the building, a safe distance from the granite edge. A silver thread rose above his head as he released the smoke from his lungs. His eyes were closed._

_The toke to his lips, he inhaled long and hard again and held his breath for a long beat before he released the poisoned air into the night._

_"Ranger? What are you doing up here?"_

_He jumped and dropped whatever he was smoking on the ground, twisting his foot to put out the fire._

_"Shit. You scared me. I didn't expect you for another hour."_

_"Grandma doesn't have much hair left so it didn't take long."_

_He turned sheepishly after he'd popped a mint flavored Life Saver in his mouth. I knew what he was doing. He knew what he was doing but neither one of us mentioned it. The upcoming trial and our separation had definitely taken a toll on him. I blamed myself._

_"Dinner's still in the oven cooking. Are you hungry?" He asked as he kissed my forehead._

_"Famished." I said just before we headed down the stairs to the apartment._

_The conversation was over._

_As I continued down the passage toward the tall darkened window at the end, I discovered that true to form, these ex-military men in Miami had decided that instead of numbering their units, they named them based on their campaigns. As I reached the door marked Guam that Sylvio had directed me to, I knocked gently but got no reply so I rapped a little harder then called out to him._

_"Ranger? It's me. Stephanie."_

_The click of the unlocking latch stopped me from knocking again. A golden chain crossed my line of vision._

_"Hi." I said with a smile I'd dug out of the soles of my shoes._

_"Well. If it isn't the future ex-Mrs. Manoso." He said coldly, frost dangling from his words. He drained the beer in his hand then tossed the bottle overhead into the trash. He was drunk as a skunk. He'd apparently reached his capacity and gone beyond the loosey-goosey stage and gone headlong into the mean as a snake stage._

_Fidgeting from one foot to the other waiting for an invitation, I tried again._

_"How are you?"_

_"Great. Just great."_

_"I was ... ah wondering."_

_"Spit it out. What do want? Why are you here? I'm busy." He leaned against the edge of the door frame only opening the door a crack more but I still couldn't see inside the man cave._

_"What's the matter? Got a hot date in there you don't want me to see?"_

_As the words fell from my mouth, trying to make a joke, I realized that Ranger wasn't laughing. He shut the door in my face, unhooked the chain then yanked the door open wide, letting it slam against the wall. I heard a crunch as the knob planted itself in the plaster._

_"Nope. Sorry to disappoint you. Not tonight. See for yourself."_

_"I was just trying to be funny. I'm sorry if I upset you."_

_He folded his arms across his chest but continued to block my entry. That's when I noticed that he was wearing a hoodie with the hood up. Inside? Ranger never wore a hat of any kind even when it was below zero outside._

_"What's with the hood?"_

_I reached to tug at it. He pulled back._

_"What's with the third degree?"_

_All of the patience I'd mustered for this visit was waning quickly. I'd spent two days sitting at the computer gathering my information then several more hours on a plane getting kicked and screeched at. I was nervous as hell and exhausted._

_"I'm not giving you the third degree, Ranger. I just wondered why you're wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood covering your head while you're indoors. It has to be over seventy degrees in here."_

_Ranger liked our home cool. The temperature generally never exceeded sixty five during the day and dropped to arctic levels for sleeping in the evenings._

_"I just got out of the shower and my hair is wet."_

___Let it go Stephanie. Pick you battles_. I heard Dr. Troika say.

_"I thought we could talk."_

_"About what precisely?"_

_"Can't we just talk?" He didn't reply. He just continued to look at me. "I came all the way down her to see you. We are still married you know?"_

_"Not for much longer."_

_I saw another manila envelope on the kitchen counter with attorney Hanlon's return address and a registered letter sticker. I hoped it was the papers to rescind the divorce not something else by mistake. However, since the envelope was still unopened, he might not know its true contents._

_"I wanted to talk to you about something."_

_I took the envelope from my bag and waved it at him._

_He walked toward the kitchen, then took the manila envelope from the counter._

_"I already signed the papers. Take them." He shoved it at me._

_"I want to ... Listen can I come in? I don't want to talk to you while I'm standing in the hallway for everyone to hear. If you don't want me in your apartment, then can we go upstairs or someplace neutral, like your office maybe?"_

_"By all means. Who am I to deny you anything? Make yourself at home." He snarled, turning his back as I shut the door behind me._

_He left me standing in the doorway and walked over to the couch. He dropped into the soft leather seat while setting his bare feet on the coffee table. I was stunned when he confirmed my suspicion and pulled a pack of cigarettes from under a half empty pizza box and lit up. He took a long drag letting the smoke fill his lungs, destroying the pink membranes, then blew it out through his nose. If the cigarette was just to get my goat, it worked but I figured I'd caused enough problems already so again I let it go. I hadn't expected this type of reaction to my visit. I don't really know what I expected, but this wasn't it._

_The apartment was a mess and smelled just as bad. I knew the Miami guys were more lax than the Trenton guys because Ranger wasn't a constant presence but I couldn't imagine that he'd ever lived like that in his life. His mother was certainly no slob._

_There were several bags filled with groceries on the kitchen counters. I wondered if the ice cream had melted. His guns and knives and flax vest were strewn all over the room. His military camouflage fatigues were in a pile on the floor looking like he'd let them fall off of his back, pool onto the carpet then walked out of them._

_He picked up the TV remote control and began to flip. A new bad habit he'd probably picked up from his cousin Lester._

_"How was your trip?"_

_"What?"_

_The cigarette hung from the corner of his mouth as a ribbon of smoke poked him in the eye._

_"How was your trip?"_

_I said a little louder over the din of the OCC motorcycle program, that he'd found. Paul Senior was screaming at Paul Junior again and Mikey was trying to keep the peace. Vinnie was trying to stay out of the fracas and get the job finished in time, as always. Nothing ever changed with that group of knuckleheads._

_"My trip?"_

_"Yes. Didn't you just get back from a trip? Could you turn that down a little?"_

_He lowered the volume, mumbled then tugged at his hood._

_"Yeah."_

_He continued to stare at the Teutuls._

_"Ranger. Would you look at me please?" I touched his arm. His head spun to gaze at the spot I'd just burned on his sleeve then he looked up at me. "Please?"_

_He let out a breath then clicked the remote as the New York bike shop faded away. He shifted and turned toward me._

_"What do you want to talk about?"_

_He reached for another beer, his last one but I took it from him and put it back on the coffee table._

_"Several things but first, your trip. I had assumed that you came to Miami but Abuela said she hasn't seen you."_

_"I didn't stop yet. I've had too much to do in the office."_

_"Ranger. Where did you really go? You haven't been here. You went somewhere else."_

_"How do you know that I wasn't here?" He questioned, still cautious not to admit to anything incriminating._

_"Your trackers."_

_"I left it in the car when I flew out."_

_"Ranger. You went somewhere else. I know where you went and probably why. Would you like to tell me where you went and why yourself?"_

_"Calling me a liar again?" He flicked his ashes into his empty beer bottle._

_"No Ranger. I'm not. I just wanted to discuss it with you, if we could."_

_"What I do on my personal time is no longer your business. Your choice, not mine."_

_Picking up the remote he flicked the tube on again as he took another long pull on this cigarette. Paul Junior was just pulling his new truck out of the parking lot, leaving a cloud of dust behind him while Paul Senior slammed the back door twice while swearing a blue streak then shooed the cameramen away. I grabbed the remote, turned the TV off then tossed the remote across the room._

_"Ranger. You were in DC. You went to see your handler, didn't you?"_

_I yanked at his hood and won the battle as he hadn't expected it. I gasped at the haircut and the bruises. I tried to touch him. He pulled away._

_"Leave me alone."_

_He took another deep pull of his cigarette, stood, then began to pace. I stood beside him and easily took the cancer stick from him._

_"Don't do this. This isn't you. You're doing it to annoy me. Consider me annoyed. Now please stop. It isn't healthy and you of all people should know that." I said as I walked over to the sink and ran water over the tip before I smashed it on the edge to extinguish the orange glow. He'd followed me so I took the pack from his hand, snapped it in half them dropped it on the counter. Who'd notice one more piece of trash? "Doesn't Peggy clean this place for you? It's a mess. So is the apartment upstairs. How can you live in this much filth? Is this your apartment?"_

_As he walked back to the couch he answered me._

_"This was Frederico's apartment. He's on vacation."_

_"What aren't you up…?" I stopped. I'd done enough nagging and preaching for the moment._

_Sitting sideways beside him, he settled in and straightened a pile of newspapers unnecessarily. Nervously._

_"Why are you staying here? Trying to punish yourself?"_

_"No. Peg nags. I tired of it."_

_"Really?" I sat back and rested my feet on the coffee table. "Ella did the same thing to me." I chuckled as I commiserated. "I guess they aren't on your side or mine. We have mutual enemies."_

_We spoke with companionable ease. Ranger's façade had quickly broken down. It was an act. He leaned back, resting his head in his hands behind him. He was beginning to relax in my presence. Good. I thought. Very good._

_"No one is on my side. I feel like the wolf in my own chicken coop."_

_I took his stance, hands behind my head, feet crossed at my ankles._

_"What are you talking about? Everyone is on your side. Your mother nearly hung up on me and my father, my own father told me to grow up."_

_"You know what? I think everyone is our mutual friend and enemy at the same time. I asked Tank over the other night before I left Trenton, for a few beers and he said he had plans so I went to the gym instead. When I went to my office after to get my keys, he was in the conference room with Les and Hal slinging 'em back."_

_"You might be right. I overheard Les and the guys mention they were going to Shorty's so I asked if I could join them and suddenly they had other plans. I stopped by anyway a little while later to pick up a sub and found their vehicles were all in the parking lot. They were playing pool in the back room."_

_"Friends. Can't trust anybody anymore."_

_"Nope."_

_After a minute I rekindled the old fire._

_"Are you going to tell me why you went to DC?" I let my fingers trace his very short hair. "The gray on your temples is a little more prominent with that style."_

_He let out a sigh._

_"I tried to re-up. I had a really hard time convincing them that I was still capable."_

_"Why?"_

_He shrugged. No need to reply. We both knew the answer. He wanted to get away from me._

_"The haircut. Did you do that before or after?"_

_"Before. I always got the Marine cut before I left on a mission."_

_"And?"_

_"And they ran me through my paces just like they always did."_

_"And you passed with flying colors, right?"_

_"Wrong. I failed."_

_"You failed? How? Why?"_

_"I couldn't concentrate. I was thinking of you, us, the impending divorce and this fucking court thing with Olivia. They said I was still fit physically, but mentally, I'm a mess. They called Dr. Greene. I spoke to him for a while. A long while, actually. He told me to go home and clean up my act because he wasn't going to certify me as fit for combat. It would be a suicide mission looking to happen and he didn't want to be responsible for that."_

_"Ranger. I'm so sorry."_

_He'd given up a life he loved for me and now, because of me, he was being denied._

_"I told him I didn't care. I had nothing left to live for." He chuckled. "He read me the riot act then said he'd tell my handler in writing that I was no longer fit for active duty and that my retirement should become permanent. I'm too old apparently."_

_"Ouch."_

_We sat quietly for a few more minutes, enjoying the peace and quiet that our commiseration had afforded us then I remembered the envelopes._

_CH – 21 - Discovery_

_"Oh God! I almost forgot."_

_I slid forward and reached for my bag, removed one of the envelopes then held it up before I handed it to him. "You have got to see what I have in here."_

_"What is it?" He said confused._

_"This is why I came to Miami. I wanted to show you this. I discovered some things I think you should know about."_

_"Okay?" His reply was hesitant almost questioning._

_"I think you'll find it all very interesting."_

_"You didn't come down to see me?" He said with a smirk._

_"Jerk." I slapped his arm playfully. "Of course I did but more than that I've spent the last two days digging up some dirt on Olivia and her cronies. You will not believe what I found."_

_He slid the folders I'd enclosed in the envelope, out onto the coffee table in front of him and began to read what I'd brought. He patted his chest looking for something._

_"Get my glasses from the kitchen counter, would you Babe?"_

_I tried to remember the last time he'd called me Babe._

_"Sure."_

_"And a couple of Ibuprofen. Kitchen cupboard over the sink."_

_He was quiet as he began to read about Olivia and Rejeanne, RRN and OLD, the Nadeaus, Mrs. Dominique and his trusted employees._

_"Babe, where did you get this info?"_

_His eyes never left the papers he scanned over and over._

_"I had a talk with Tank."_

_"Tank?" He raised his head wondering what we'd talked about. "But how…?"_

_"Yeah. Well. We had a talk. Man to man. Or actually it was more like man to coward."_

_"I don't understand."_

_"Let's just say that Tank lit the fire under me that I needed to help you. A fire I should have started on my own."_

_"Stephanie. No. You will not blame yourself for this. I'm partly to blame. I walked out on you. I should have been more patient. Understanding. Had I walked in your shoes, I don't know what I would have done."_

_"Ranger…"_

_"No Stephanie. I won't permit it. What's done is done."_

_He continued to read reminding me of the time some years back when he sat on the bed in our hotel room in Miami while reading the contracts that Marlene Marlow and her husband Greg had used in the Ponzi scheme against Ranger's father and some of his friends._

_"Sonovabitch, I can't believe this. How do they get away with that kind of corruption? Does no one ever review the books? That fucking bitch." He mumbled, grumbled and huffed. "Steph. How did you find this stuff? Some of this is classified information."_

_"I used all of Rangemen's search programs and Googled the rest. Oh and your name still comes in very handy in a pinch."_

_"You didn't."_

_"Sure did. 'This is Colonel Manoso'." I said in a much deeper tone than my normal voice._

_He laughed out loud. It was a nice sound. A sound I wanted to hear more of._

_"But how did you know what to look for?"_

_He flipped one page after another still shaking his head in disbelief._

_"Intuition and hunches mostly. Plus I called Rachel."_

_"Rachel? Really?"_

_"Yup. She was very helpful."_

_"Hmm. You always had the knack, Babe. Always."_

_He turned to look at me and smiled. I hadn't seen him smile in ages. I smiled back. I guessed that I hadn't been smiling much either because my cheeks hurt._

_"What are you going to do?"_

_"Not sure. I just can't believe he'd do this. I trusted him. Signed him on and asked no questions."_

_"I think we just figured out how Olivia got your personal phone number."_

_"Shit. I should have known. Maybe Dr. Greene's right. I'm no longer fit for active duty."_

_"It's not your fault, Ranger. Now. What are WE going to do about this?" I rubbed my hands together._

_"First I have to call Gary. Jury selection begins in two days. Then we're going to catch them in their own lies. There's got to be more to this story. You've only just touched the tip of the iceberg, Babe."_

_He reached across the coffee table for his phone._

_"Gary? This is Ranger Manoso. I'm sorry for calling you at home at this late hour but you said that if there was ever an emergency to do so. I think this qualifies as an emergency."_

_We gathered all of our things, papers, my bag and Ranger's duffel, then he and I went upstairs to his office where we scanned then e-mailed all of the documents I'd printed and the notes that I'd taken, to Gary. He had said he'd try to get a continuation until all of the info I'd managed to scrounge up was confirmed by his sources so they wouldn't appear to have been sullied by the angry scorned wife._

_"Thank you Stephanie. You don't know how grateful I am. I couldn't have done this without you. You've cleared me and possibly found who killed our little girl. How I can ever repay you for this?"_

_"No price, right?"_

_"Right Steph, no price."_

_He stood in front of me, his hands twitching at his sides. He wanted to hold me as much as I wanted to be held._

_"I love you Ranger Manoso."_

_"I love you too, Stephanie Plum. I love you very, very much."_

_My fingers locked behind his head as he wrapped his arms around my waist._

_I nodded to the divorce papers in the manila envelope that he'd signed._

_"Do you still want to do this?"_

_"No. Do you?"_

_"No. Maybe you should tear them up and throw them out."_

_"I never signed them. I lied. I couldn't do it. I got as far as picking up a pen but..." He pointed to a dark spot on the wall where a pen was embedded. "That's as far as I got."_

_I had to laugh._

_"You should have at least opened the envelopes."_

_"Why?" He asked as he reached for it._

_Untying the string that held it shut he dumped the shredded paper onto the floor. The other envelope held the dissolution. I'd given Marc Hanlon very specific instructions._

_I covered my mouth to muffle my laughter but couldn't quite manage it. Ranger began to laugh too._

_"Wish I'd seen that before."_

_"I wondered why you hadn't commented on it."_

_He shrugged his shoulders._

_"I have one more question for you. It's a small favor actually."_

_"Anything Babe. Anything at all."_

_He was holding me again and beginning to nuzzle. I could only hope that it would lead to more._

_"Come home." My vision clouded instantly as tears filled my eyes. "Please come home and move back into the apartment with me. We have a lot of repairs to make and I want to get started right away."_

_"You want me to come home?" He teased._

_I nodded as I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand._

_"Yes. Very much. I don't forgive you. There's nothing to forgive you for. I trust you. I trust that you never touched her."_

_He had me by the waist and up in the air swinging me around and around. I threw my head back with glee as we continued to spin._

_"Wait." I said. "We can't do this. Not yet."_

_"Why not?"_

_"We'll be playing right into their hands."_

_"So. That's a good thing."_

_"How is that good?"_

_"Our being together again will force them to act. He'll panic, show his hand. Then we nab him. We nab them all."_

_"Do you think it'll work?"_

_"I have no doubt in my mind."_

_"You should call Tank."_

_"How much does he know about what you found out?"_

_"Everything. I told him everything while he drove me to the airport today."_

_Ranger picked up his phone and called Tank to make arrangements for the internal takedown._

_With that done, his lips touched mine setting off sparks like on the fourth of July. Hand in hand we took to stairs up to the penthouse._

_Rachel was wrong. Very wrong. Ranger was not useless in bed when he was drunk. Granted he had sobered up some yet he was still pretty drunk, but he most definitely wasn't useless. Not in my book anyway._

_The following morning as the sun peeped in through the bedroom blinds I felt my husband's body weight shift beside me._

_"Good Morning Mrs. Manoso." He whispered as he placed soft loving kisses on my neck._

_"Morning Mr. Plum." He smiled a big smile._

_"I remember a time when hearing you call me that annoyed me."_

_"Really? I thought you liked it."_

_"It didn't really annoy me. It's a macho thing I guess. Anyway, as I was saying, I welcome the sound now. It feels like home."_

_I turned to face him and tangled my fingers in the dark curly hair on his chest._

_"Can you ever forgive me for what I've done? I'm so, so sorry that I doubted you. I've been so stupid. I should have believed in you. Trusted you."_

_"I shouldn't have run out on you again. You were hurt and angry. I should have been more understanding. More patient with you. I'm sorry."_

_"But I shouldn't have gone running to a lawyer and filed for di…"_

_"Hush." He said placing his finger on my lips. "We will never mention the D word again. Agreed?" He said as he brushed my hair from my face. "It's over. We're together again. No more pointing fingers. We won't talk about this ever again."_

_As I stood at the dining room window after our shower, I was sipping on my first cup of coffee when Ranger appeared behind me snaking his arms around my waist._

_"What are you thinking about, Babe?"_

_"I was just thinking how much I love it here. Only good things happen here. We declared our love for each other here. We were married here. I love the sunrises and the sunsets. The restaurants. The shopping. Night life. The people. I've developed a real taste for Cuban food."_

_I turned my head to the side and lightly nipped at his bicep._

_"I noticed that last night and again this morning."_

_"Pig."_

_"You said that before. Do you really mean that?" He said half joking._

_"Yes." I turned in his arms. "And I wouldn't have it any other way, Mr. Manoso."_

_I touched my lips to his gently as he threaded his hands into my hair pulling me deeper then released me._

_"Steph. Would you consider moving to Miami? Making this our home base instead of Trenton? That wouldn't mean that we'd never see our families or friends."_

_"Your family hates me anyway." I turned back toward the window._

_"And your family hates me. So what? You let me worry about our families. That's my job."_

_Batman was back._

_"We travel often enough and the flight is just under three and a half hours to Newark. We could be back for special events like birthdays and holidays. Or if someone is ill, we can get there quickly. We'll always have the apartments so we'll be home no matter where we go."_

_"No matter where we live Ranger, as far as I'm concerned, we only have one home. It's right here." I tapped his chest with my hand._

_"As soon as this mess is over and the charges are dropped we'll start planning our move." He released me to get himself another cup of coffee. "I'll call the contractor so he can get started on the renovations of the beach house again."_

_I followed him into the kitchen. My cup was empty too._

_"I'd like that."_

_Ranger's phone began to ring and dance while sitting in the cradle of the charger._

_"I'll get that." I reached over the breakfast bar as Ranger filled our cups._

_"Hello?"_

_"Stephanie? This is Gary. Is Ranger there?"_

_"Sure. He's right here." I motioned to Ranger and mouthed the word 'Gary'._

_"Did you get everything we sent you last night?" I asked waiting for Ranger to finish wiping his hands._

_"Yes. Yes. I got it. Ranger. I have to talk to Ranger. Immediately."_

_"Gary. What's wrong? You sound upset."_

_Ranger took the phone._

_"Gary. What's up? Is there a problem?"_

_"Where the hell are you?"_

_"Miami. Stephanie and I are here for annual reviews. We're working. I left a message with your secretary."_

_"Get your ass home today. A body was discovered last night. The police think it's Lawrence Daniels'. There's a warrant out for your arrest."_

_"But everything we sent you… The proof."_

_"Not now. Judge Needham wasn't interested. This is a bigger mess. Much bigger mess. The shit has officially hit the fan. Get your ass on a plane right now. I'll hold them off as long as I can but the Newark and state police are extra cranky this morning. They were up all night with Olivia and her brother and that crying baby. Now. Ranger. Right now. And bring Stephanie. She may be charged as an accessory." Gary hung up after his tirade._

_"What's wrong? You look like you just saw a ghost."_

_"I did. The ghost of Lawrence Daniels. His body was found last night. There's a warrant out for my arrest. You may be charged as an accessory."_

_Sometime during the evening, while Ranger and I made love then slept peacefully for the first time in what seemed like a very long, Olivia and her cohorts were forced to set plan C into motion._

_Olivia and Margaret were so enraged about being refused access to Ranger and the building that they pulled Larry's body from the deep freeze, as they say. Someone had made an anonymous phone call to the police about the possibility of a body buried in an abandoned sand pit off I-95 behind a rest stop half way between Trenton and Ewing._

_Ranger was on the phone talking to Tank about the same time._

_Margaret Dominique was rocking her grandson in the rocking chair that Edmond Nadeau had purchase with a Rangemen payroll check. She sang softly to her only grandchild as he sucked mightily on his bottle of formula. She'd pull the nipple from his mouth after every ounce or so to give him a little pat on the back allowing some air to escape._

_He let out a loud bark._

___"Et, mon petit view bonhomme_." She'd affectionately called him her little old man.

_He looked so much like his father and grandfather. She doubted that anyone would have believed that he was the son of the millionaire Ricardo Manoso without the forged DNA results she'd managed to acquire with a little gentle persuasion and a threat. They had to move. It was time. As soon as the settlement check cleared, they'd be off to start a new scam somewhere else. Just like the last time and the time before that._

_This had been a stroke of genius and extreme good luck on Rejeanne's part. It was her job to find and target their marks. It was pure destiny the way all of the puzzle pieces had come together so easily._

_They'd originally moved to the area and sought out Rangemen as their patsy. It was a simple plan. Get the security company to install a system, then burn the buildings down. Bing, bang, boom! Collect the insurance money and run. Ranger had been right to question the wiring._

_It was only a chance event that Rangemen happened to be owned by Rejeanne Michaud's old nemesis Rick Manoso. They could have gotten more money if it hadn't been for that damned wife of his, she'd told her team. What was her name? Sally, Sara, Suzie, Stephanie? Stephanie. It was Stephanie. Oh well, they'd take what they could then move on._

_It had been fun watching me squirm and hurting that inconsiderate ass, Rick, as she called Ranger. She didn't want him but she'd make him pay for what he'd done to her. Ditching her for that Rachel. Two birds with one stone, Margaret had said. Brilliant idea. If only the bitch, me, had died along with her kid, my Edna Rose, after the accident as planned. The bullet had not been intended for Ranger's brain but mine._

_Although Olivia's own pregnancy was unplanned, it all worked out well in the end. More fuel for the fire._

_Angelina had been a tough nut to crack, but they felt they'd won out in the end. Angelina had agreed to falsify the records in exchange for keeping her job and her children safe. 'Jackie' had made it clear that if she didn't comply, she might not see the sun rise again. Margaret hadn't made that phone call yet, the final phone call. She'd heard through her source, Ralph Nadeau, that Angelina had spoken to someone recently about the work they'd done in Mexico. She'd make the call later that day, after the baby's bath while he was napping._

_Her cell phone rang to jar her from her musings. She pulled it from her apron pocket._

_"A'lo?"_

_"Hey Ma. It's Edmond."_

_"__Edmond__. C'a va?"_

_"Is Rejeanne around? We've got a problem."_

___"Quoi? Quel sorte de probleme"_

_"Apparently the Manoso woman went to Miami today to make nice with her old man. Word is they've made up and they're coming back together in a few days."_

___"Oh non! C'est impossible._"

_Margaret's world was crashing around her. All of her plans would be for naught._

_"Where is she? We've gotta fix this."_

_Olivia walked through the door and instantly knew her mother was upset as she paced with her phone to her ear while the baby bounced in her arms._

_"Maman?" Olivia asked as she approached seeing the fear and strain in her mother's face._

___"C'est Edmond. Parle a ton frère."_

___Olivia took the phone from her mother._

___"Edmond. Why are you calling me? Where are you?"_

___"I'm in my apartment."_

___"You're going to blow your cover."_

___"Don't worry about me. It's that Spic you're trying to frame that we have a problem with. My cover may already be blown anyway. I'm getting ready to hit the road."_

___"What do you mean? You're talking crazy. I called the police. They dug up that guy's body. They think it's Pa. Rick's going to be arrested any minute. He'll be in jail. Besides that, as soon as he goes to court in a few days, they'll find him guilty of rape and I'll start raking in the child support then get my claws into his fortune just like we planned."_

___Edmond was filling his duffel preparing to make a run for it. He had the night off. No one would be the wiser. No one would question his departure or absence._

___"Think again little sister. The word around the building is that he and his old lady are making nice-nice in Miami as we speak. Not only that but his bitch has been nosing around. She may know about Edward and Pa and the labs, the fires, everything. Maybe even the botched up job that Ouellette and Chartier messed up too when they shot their kid just before we had to instigate Plan B. She ain't as dumb as she seems. Tell Edward to get the ball rolling. I'm on my way over to the house. Time to pack up and move on to the next job. Cut our losses and git."_

___Gary met us at the Newark airport just before one o'clock. We had barely disembarked from the plane when the police arrived. Gary was shoved into the background._

___"Ricardo Manoso? You're under arrest for the murder of Lawrence Daniels. Anything you say …"_

___The following day Lawrence Daniels' picture and his story were plastered all over the newspapers, evening news and the internet._

___There were pictures of the dilapidated mansion and the grounds. The ominous living room where the murder presumably had taken place. And the hole in the ground behind the rest stop where the body had been dug up. Identification would take days due to the condition of the body, but a wallet and other personal items with Lawrence Daniels name had accompanied him in his shallow grave._

___The poor Daniels widow tore at the heart strings of the viewers as she professed her love for her deceased husband. And how awful it will be for her newborn son to grow up without his daddy. The biological father had refused to take responsibility going so far as to refuse to pay court required child support payments or accept visitation which she had willingly granted. She'd even taken the baby to him but his employees would not allow them entrance. That Manoso person and owner of Rangemen who'd raped her in exchange for services rendered. __Allegedly_, she corrected herself. He hadn't been convicted yet. But her Lawrence had stepped up to the plate and forgiven her. He was such a good man. He'd be missed by everyone he'd ever known.

___It's funny how impressive it all looked on the other side of the camera lens. I was nearly convinced myself. Pictures speak a thousand words while the camera's eye lies. Air brushing and photo shopping are wonderful tools of the trade. I'd used them myself._

___The crocodile tears flowed like a stream after a storm as the reporter and viewers sucked it up. She was good. Very good._

___"So sorry for your loss. How did it happen, Mrs. Daniels?" The petite blonde asked the grieving Olivia Daniels._

___"I'm not at liberty to say. The police are conducting a thorough investigation. The person responsible will be caught and brought to justice."_

___"Do you know who may have done this horrible thing?" The microphone was placed at her lips._

___She looked directly into the camera before she replied. "Yes I do and so do the police."_

___"Can you name the culprit?"_

___"No. I'm sorry. It's … It's too… I can't." She dabbed at her tear stained eyes again then gave a final red eyed performance glance back at the cameraman. But the world already knew without her admission. Ricardo Carlos Manoso was a rapist and a murderer. The police had done their job._

___A young man she called her brother, held her and took her away. Even at a quick glance, he looked strangely like her newborn son._

___Her housekeeper, the woman I knew to also be the grandmother, stood silently and unobtrusively in the background in a worn flowered dress. She then followed behind them, holding the child._

___As the TV cameras clicked and the microphones resonated in front of the Newark police station, the building on Hayward Street that housed Rangemen LLC, was hosting an event of its own._

___CH – 22 - Distraction_

___Ranger had called Tank just after he'd rung Gary our last night in Miami. He wanted to be sure that the little weasel didn't manage to sneak out of the building before they could corner him and question him. Tank assured him that that matter would be taken care of and that plans were already underway. He'd figured that Ranger would want the matter resolved quickly after he heard what I'd found out._

___While on his return to Trenton after he dropped me off at the Newark airport, he called Les and Bobbie on one of their secure lines. He told them what I'd discovered. They immediately formed a plan to catch him with his hand in the cookie jar, so to speak._

___In full attack gear, guns, knives, tasers, numb chucks and flax vests, the men headed toward the apartment on the fourth floor that housed the man responsible for the near downfall of their commander, the collapse of the business he'd sacrificed so much for and the untimely death of his daughter. The mission picked up speed as word passed through the ranks._

___Only a skeleton crew remained in the control room. Bobby was taking up the rear in case there were any unintended injuries. Cough, cough._

___The man in question had begged off for the night saying his mother was ill and needed him. He should have thought of another excuse. His personnel record listed both of his parents as deceased._

___Tank stood on one side of the apartment door with his back up against the wall like a new coat of paint while his rifle rested vertically touching his chest. He slid his visor down, as adrenaline pumped through his veins. Les flanked the other side of the door in a coordinating ensemble. Hector, Vince, Hal, Cal and the rest of the crew including any other off duty Rangemen, were all prepared to strike. They were pumped. This was personal. Take 'em down. No survivors. Let the shit fight begin. Ooh Rah._

___Les raised his left hand to count off. Each man nodded. They were ready. Les tapped two fingers in the air on an invisible surface. "One, two, three." They mouthed silently together then Tank and Les kicked the metal door off its hinges._

___Metal screws and chunks of the door frame pinged off the walls. Heavy boots charged into the apartment knocking over lamps and tables, chairs and anything else in their path._

___Rifle safeties clicked simultaneously as they stormed the bedroom, aiming for bear. Their target was in sight and they could see the whites of his eyes. Edmond Nadeau was standing by the bureau, stuffing his cell phone in his pocket and slinging his duffel over his shoulder. He looked up to face twenty or more very angry mercenaries filing into his bedroom in cadence, watching him through the crosshairs of their gun scopes. Their hot breaths were steaming their protective visors, fingers itching to fire at their prey._

___"What's going on?" He said as he tried to reach for the gun in the small of his back._

___"Going somewhere?" Tank growled._

___"Not so fast Carl. Or is it Edmond?" Vince volunteered as he fired his weapon just brushing the top of the prisoner's ear._

___"Oops. You're hurt. Have a seat." Les said as he kicked the empty wheelchair with his foot sending it careening across the room. "Take a load off your feet."_

___Raoul appeared in the doorway with several other men. FBI in bright yellow letters was marked clearly on their dark blue windbreakers. Hector nodded to his friend and smiled under his protective gear. The fibbies had been chasing these idiots for years._

___As Edmond Nadeau, formerly known as Carl Lamont was handcuffed and dragged off to jail, literally, Olivia Daniels and her mother were receiving guests of their own. Tank had made the phone call, just after he spoke to Ranger._

___The timing was perfect. When the police arrived at the former DiMartinoMansion on Morning Glory Circle, the current occupants seemed to be having a family party of sorts. A going away party. The U-Haul was nearly full._

___Olivia Daniels aka Marie Rejeanne Michaud, Rejeanne Nadeau, Gloria Hamilton, and Estelle Booker, was charged with extortion in Washington State, falsifying evidence to the Newark and New Jersey State police, perjury, coercion, grand larceny, accessory to the murder of our little Edna Rose, attempted murder of me: Stephanie Michelle Manoso and my husband Ranger: Ricardo Carlos Manoso._

___Ralph or Raoul Nadeau, father of Edward and Edmond Nadeau was also charged with the murder of Lawrence Daniels and racketeering._

___I'd wondered if Lawrence might have been the third brother but Rachel had called back to tell me there was an Emile Nadeau but he was a brother to Ralph apparently, not a son. Lawrence seemed have the proper credentials although the records for Emile Nadeau had ceased to exist once Olivia's Lawrence Daniels' began._

___The body they discovered in the shallow grave under the oak tree behind the bathrooms was indeed Lawrence Daniels. That was confirmed by his dental records. The real Lawrence Daniels. The homeless man, had been reported missing by his under-the-bridge mates near Manhattan, just about the time the fake Lawrence Daniels arrived in New Jersey. The coroner found it odd that the insides of the corpse were frozen. The freezer, tucked in the back of the U-haul, contained hair, blood and a small amount of DNA. Those tests were not conducted by Mahtgaghi Labs. A swarm of FBI agents were closing down those operations as well._

___Edward and Edmond were charged as accessories to that murder in addition to the murders of Andrew Chartier and Maurice Ouellette. The truck driver and gunman who had tried to kill Ranger and me. The death of our Edna Rose resulting. There was a positive ballistics match to the spent cartridges and bullets found at the accident scene. The bullet in the back of Lawrence Daniels' head had come from the gun found in Edmond Nadeau's possession at the time of his arrest._

___Margaret Michaud Nadeau Dominique, aka Margaret Pariseau, the master mind of the operation that spanned the United States from WashingtonState to New Jersey, and Texas, was charged with similar crimes including illegal possession of a fire arm._

___The State of Florida had an outstanding warrant for Margaret for questioning regarding the deaths of Michel Michaud, Rejeanne's father and Henri Dominique, her last husband. Their bodies were scheduled to be exhumed post haste._

___She was also charged with tax evasion and the possible death of a young woman named Angelina Gomez in ChihuahuaMexico whose body and those of her children and her ailing mother, were yet to be found. The money and passports that I'd wired across the border had been received and signed for by a Lisa Kloughn. I smiled when I received the receipt from the post office._

___After her arrest, an angry Margaret Dominique, had told a sympathetic, French speaking cellmate, that she'd targeted Ranger as one of her many victims once she realized that he was the owner of Rangemen because he'd scorned her daughter as a teen. He had money, lots of money, and her daughter deserved a better life that she'd been able to provide for her. She was just being a good mother and collecting on an old debt for her daughter. The cellmate, Officer Linda Marchand, relayed her message to the DA. Apparently the French do hold grudges._

___The baby, little Edward, was taken by child services and sent to a foster home. He'd never get to know his family, whoever they really were. The Nadeaus were going to spend the rest of their lives in concrete cells behind cold iron bars._

___It would take years to figure it all out and unravel that sweater; who did what and to whom. I didn't envy the feds or the Newark PD. But it wasn't my problem. Not anymore. I had caught and trapped the bear. All they had to do was skin it._

___In addition to the civilian charges, Edmond Nadeau was charged with impersonating military personnel. Corporal Carl Lamont, the real Carl Lamont, a decorated war hero, was in fact a pyrotechnic and bomb explosive expert. He also excelled at IT as a hobby. He'd served with Edmond Nadeau in Iraq._

___Carl was killed when a roadside bomb he was attempting to dismantle, exploded. Edmond was nearby and seriously injured. With no family back home to be able to identify his remains, Edmond quickly assumed the corporal's identity, allowing him to collect Carl's military benefits. He was given a dishonorable discharge after his arrest and conviction. His military benefits ended._

___Edmond or Carl, as he was known to the Rangemen employees, had come home in a wheelchair though not wheelchair bound for life. The real Carl Lamont came home in a body bag with a toe tag that read: Nadeau E. He was buried in Arlington National cemetery under that name. Ranger immediately made arrangements to get that travesty corrected._

___Dr. Greene had given Ranger his recommendation to hire Carl Lamont based on the paperwork he'd received from the pentagon on a Corporal Carl Lamont. Carl had no family. I had discovered that in my investigation. The Army was his life and eventual death._

___By the end of the day, when the dust had cleared and all of the bogus charges had been dropped against Ricardo Manoso, my husband was free to go home with me._

___Detective Matthews stopped Ranger in the hallway after he'd been released._

___"Mr. Manoso. May I have a word with?"_

___Ranger looked at me and I nodded in agreement. I was never one to hold grudges. Let bygone be bygones. The man was just trying to do his job._

___"Of course Detective. I have all of the time in the world at the moment. I'm a free man."_

___He cleared his throat before he began._

___"I would like to apologize to both you and your wife. I admit that I was a little over zealous when I barged in on you in your home. And yes, Mrs. Manoso, my questions to you were inappropriate."_

___"I understand Detective. You were doing your job." Ranger said, still cautious._

___"Yes, but I should have been more professional. I'm afraid that I'd listened to too much gossip about the triangle between you two and Detective Morelli. I should have gone with the facts, not hearsay and the tattlings of his resentful coworkers acting like school girls. I apologize. I'm sorry."_

___Detective Matthews had been around the mill. Filling Joe Morelli's shoes while working with his foes and allies must have been a tremendous burden. Ranger had done a background check on Matthews right after our first meeting. He found nothing but praise and commendations for his bravery and fairness. His move to Newark was in his best interest._

___I'd also been told that Detective Matthews had begun his on private investigation of the Nadeaus thinking that something wasn't adding up. But his research hadn't netted my results._

___Detective Matthews was about to turn away, his allotment of crow for the day eaten. Ranger extended his hand._

___"No hard feelings, Detective. It would be a pleasure to work with you again the future. Hopefully under better circumstances."_

___Matthews took his hand._

___"Me too. Thank you Mr. Manoso."_

___"My friends call me Ranger. Please call me Ranger. And thank you for everything you did to help prove my innocence."_

___Detective Matthews smiled. I hadn't noticed the dimple in the center of his cheek before. His eyes were hazel._

___He jumped back when I wrapped my arms around him for a hug._

___"Mrs. Manoso?"_

___"Call me Steph or Stephanie. Everyone else does."_

___As I pulled away he spoke._

___"I was wrong about you Stephanie. You and your husband. I can see that now. That night at your apartment. When you lied to protect your husband. That took guts. I should have expected no less from you."_

___We shared more goodbyes then Detective Matthews disappeared like smoke down the dingy hallway and turned left into his office behind a weathered wooden door._

___Raoul Menendez returned to DC where he would continue his undercover investigation work. Quantico was in need of a new instructor. Raoul offered me the job. I refused._

___Before he left, we gave him a Rangemen sendoff at Shorty's. One he would remember for the rest of his life._

___Ranger had called in a group of contract workers to work a skeleton crew so that as many Trenton Rangemen employees as possible could join in the festivities. Shorty closed his doors to the public that night and hosted the shindig._

___Beer kegs emptied like bottles and the taps nearly ran dry. Shorty ran out of pizza dough and had to call Pino's for more._

___Most everyone danced on the table tops at one point or another as quarters slid down the old fashioned juke boxes' gullet like sand in an hour glass. Even Ranger climbed up once and removed his shirt then swung it around his head, leaving only his necktie. He reminded me of a Chippendale. When he started on his belt buckle I convinced him to come down. I had to promise him something I knew I'd never do, but hell, he was drunk. Come morning, he wouldn't remember dancing on the table never mind the promise I'd made._

___The best show of the evening was when Ranger took the karaoke mic from his cousin Les. He'd picked me up like a sack of potatoes and flung me onto the tiny stage in the back of the room. I'd never seen it used before that night._

___My normally very quiet and subdued husband suddenly began to sing a song I'd heard in the movie __Happy Feet. _It was at the beginning, a duet, when _Norma Jean_ played by Nicole Kidman sang to Hugh Jackman's character _Memphis_.

___His voice was husky like Rod Stewart. His movements were sexy like Enrique. I'd never been able to carry a tune in a bucket so I always passed on singing in public until I'd swallowed my fourth beer. Apparently you have to have the right encouragement._

___Ranger sang his heart out, in both English and Spanish as he held me with his free arm. I knew the words. I knew them well. I couldn't help but join in. Ranger smiled as I sang. My voice was not my own and it wasn't the beer. As the song came to an end, we closed our eyes. Our foreheads touched. Our tears combined._

___"I love you so much, Stephanie."_

___"I love you too. More than I ever thought possible."_

___It was late. Well after 3AM._

___"Let's go home."_

___"Great idea."_

___We hadn't noticed the crowd that had gathered around us, applauding at our performance._

___I began to giggle as we pulled apart._

___"Party's over everyone. Time to go home." Ranger bellowed._

___Shorty was sound asleep with his head on a table by the bar. He grumbled in his sleep._

___"I'm coming. Don't get your piss hot." His dish rag was still balled in his hand._

___Tank and Les and Bobby were discussing something. I didn't know what it was and neither did they. Hector and Raoul were sitting on the floor talking about old times._

___Hal and Vince and Cal were playing strip poker. From the pile of clothes on the table, chair and floor, I would have ventured a guess that the silent or invisible player was winning._

___Those of us still somewhat coherent, dumped bottle after bottle of amber and green glass into a large bin. Empty pizza discs and sandwich wrappers filled another while plastic silverware and woven plastic baskets filled another._

___Sally Sweet, a dear friend from my past showed up with the old school bus that he'd begun to convert into a tour bus for his rock group. He filled it with drunken Rangemen and took us all home to Haywood. We would go back to Shorty's to get our cars when we were capable of standing upright again. Possibly the next day or the day after that._

___Late the following morning, I tried to open my crusted eyes as I reached across the bed I knew would be cold and empty. To my surprise, Ranger jumped at my touch._

___"What?" he mumbled._

___I rolled onto my side._

___"Hey Batman." I looked at the clock beside the bed. "It's after ten and you're not only still in bed but you're still sleeping._

___He reached up over his head to stretch._

___"Fuck. My head hurts and my mouth takes like someone shit in it. How much did I have to drink last night?"_

___"No idea. Want some aspirin or something?"_

___"I'll get it."_

___He rolled slowly onto his side then let his legs dangle over the edge of the bed. Leaning his elbows on his knees, he rubbed his face then yawned._

___I made a quick dash to tend to business in the bathroom and returned just as he'd made his way to the bathroom door._

___"Good Morning Mrs. Manoso." He said with a warm smile._

___"Morning Mr. Plum." I reached up on my tippy toes to kiss him._

___"Not until I've brushed my teeth."_

___"Tough." I kissed him anyway._

___I was standing in my usual spot, first coffee of the day in my hands. My fluffy white terry cloth robe tied loosely around my waist. I'd always begun my day by standing and gazing empty headed at the sunrise from our dining room window. Ranger, as always snuck up behind and placed his hands on my hips resting his chin on my shoulder. We were getting back into the old groove. Our daily routines were becoming the norm again. Life was good._

___"Watcha thinking about?" He kissed my neck._

___"Nothing special. Just zoning." Warm light brown liquid slid down my throat._

___"Nothing at all?" He asked as he kissed me again only on the other side._

___"Well, my head was empty a minute ago but now you're filling it with ideas."_

___He chuckled. "What are your plans for today? What would you like to do?"_

___"Get our lives back to some semblance or normalcy. I thought I'd see if I could work on payroll. We promised the guys time off and bonuses. They've waited long enough."_

___"I agree. After that?"_

___"I don't know."_

___I turned and walked toward the kitchen to refill my cup._

___"You have something on your mind, Babe. Spit it out."_

___As the coffee filled my cup, I said, "I would like to go back to Miami."_

___"We just got back."_

___"I know but I'm desperate to start over. I was thinking of something but I'm not sure you'll agree. We talked about it before we left but we were interrupted by all this mess."_

___"I thought we'd already decided that we'd consider moving to Miami on a permanent basis." Ranger took a mug from cupboard. The batman logo was nearly worn off. He began to pour. "I still haven't called the contractor to get back to work on the beach house. I'll do that today."_

___"No. Not that's not what I mean."_

___"Then what are you talking about?"_

___"Now hear me out before you say no."_

___I pulled the stool from the breakfast bar then sat spinning my cup in my hands. Ranger took the stool next to me._

___"I would like to relive our original trip. When we got married."_

___"I don't think I understand."_

___"I know we can't recreate it exactly but I'd like to revisit and re-do some things. Rekindle the old flame, you know?" I was beginning to get nervous that he wouldn't agree._

___"You mean like going sailing and dancing. Making love on the beach." He nudged my elbow._

___"Pervert."_

___"You love it and you know it."_

___"That's true. I'd be lying if I said otherwise." I swallowed hard. "Which brings me to another subject."_

___Setting my cup down I turned to look at him. My eyes prickled._

___Things were going so well. We'd reconciled. The charges had all been dropped. Lost clients were calling wanting to come back. Our friends and families had forgiven both of us and Ranger had forgiven me, if a little prematurely. I had one more thing to say to my husband. I prayed it wouldn't destroy us again._

___"I have something to tell you. I should have told you a long time ago but I couldn't. I was afraid to admit it to myself so I couldn't admit it to you."_

___"Babe? What is it? You can tell me anything, you should know that by now."_

___I started to pull away again, ready to run but he pulled be back. "Tell me."_

___I began at the beginning._

___"I was always afraid to get married, you know that. I had my reasons. They seemed valid at the time. You were afraid too."_

___"Yes."_

___"You also know that I wasn't ready to start a family. Joe and I argued about it constantly." I took my cup to my lips for reinforcement. "We talked about having kids when we first got married, remember?"_

___"Of course I do."_

___"Well, even when we discussed it after you returned from that God awful mission you were sent on, I was still on the fence."_

___"I know that."_

___"Then came the miscarriages and Edna Rose." I swallowed back a lump in my throat. It burned a hole in my esophagus. "Our beautiful baby girl." I let the tears fall down my cheeks. "She was so beautiful yet so frail. So tiny and innocent." Ranger pulled a tissue from the box over the fridge and dabbed at my eyes. I took the tissue from him._

___"Steph don't do this to yourself."_

___"No. Ranger. You don't understand. Let me finish."_

___He tried to hold me to comfort me. I pushed him away._

___"I knew right then that I couldn't do it. I wasn't mother material. Our daughter deserved better. Better than the fucked up spoiled little girl that I was."_

___"Steph stop right there. You're not a fucked up spoiled little girl. You're a grown woman. You would have been a great mother."_

___I continued. I didn't want compliments. I was undeserving. I stood and walked back to my window. My safety zone. Ranger followed me._

___"I blamed you for her death. It was your fault that we were in that accident. It was your fault that I, we were shot. It was your fault that I spent weeks in bed. It was your fault that we got involved with the Daniels." I looked up at him with red rimmed eyes. "It wasn't your fault at all. It was mine. Mine and mine alone. I couldn't admit it Dr. Troika, or you. I couldn't even admit it to myself."_

___"Stephanie, what are you trying to say?"_

___"I didn't want her. That's why she died." My parochial school guilt teachings had kicked in full force. "I didn't want her because I was too selfish. I refused to share you with anyone else, even our own child." The dam burst and the rivers ran over the banks. "I'm sorry Ranger. I'm sorry that I killed our little girl. Can you ever forgive me?"_

___He was just a blur but he began to smile._

___"I knew that Stephanie. I knew it from the beginning."_

___"What? You knew?"_

___He nodded_

___"Why didn't you say something to me?"_

___"I had to let you figure it out for yourself." He pulled me to his chest. "I knew you could do it. I just had to be patient."_

___After I'd calmed down, he added._

___"Want to know a secret?"_

___I bobbed my head up and down._

___"I didn't want to share you either."_

___A tear, not my own, hit the tip of my nose._

___"And for the record, we would have been great parents."_

___I spent the rest of the day gathering and packing mementos from our original trip while Ranger worked on a vacation schedule with the team for their assistance and loyalty, then signed a pile of checks with lots of zeros._

___Tank, Les and Bobby, dropped us off at the airport in Newark that evening. Sylvio had agreed to pick us up then take us to the Sonesta where we'd stay way back when._

___"Will you be back?" Tank asked hesitantly, a frog in his throat._

___Bobby and Les discussed the state of the pavement below their feet as they fussed with our bags they'd taken from the back of the SUV._

___"Two weeks." Ranger said. "Maybe a little longer."_

___"That's what worries me. The 'little longer' part." Tank added._

___He suspected that we were going to make Miami our new home. They all did._

___I reached up and took the big mans face in my hands._

___"We'll always come back. Miami is only a few hours away. You can all come visit us anytime."_

___"Abuela says that the construction crew has been busy working on the beach house." Les said as he spread out his arms for a hug. Bobby was right behind him._

___"Yup and there will be enough beds for everyone. We'll have a big party when it's finished." Ranger said as he tossed his duffel over his shoulder. "We've gotta move Babe or we'll miss our flight."_

___More hugs and tears and man hugs, then we were off._

___Our two week trip to memory lane turned into a month._

___CH – 23 - Destination_

___The beautiful sexy black satin and lace baby doll camisole night slip with matching lace panties that Ranger had bought for me on our first shopping trip to Miami before we were married, the one I'd refused to wear initially, the one that had caused so much trouble, was soon torn to shreds. A new red set took its place although I had my doubts regarding its expected lifespan._

___We drove to the club called __Grifo_ to go dancing one night but decided it was too seedy and chose a quieter setting instead. It hadn't seemed that bad when we were there the first time when we were so terribly naughty out in the back alley, kissing and groping and fondling each other like teenagers in heat. Which we were.

___We ate a late dinner at __El Deseo_ instead where we'd had dinner with the Marlows one night. The food was absolutely delicious and the dancing superb although I had to admit that I caught myself unwittingly scanning for Marlene or Greg.

___Abuela welcomed us with open arms and cried when we told her that we'd be moving to Miami pretty much full time as soon as the beach house was complete._

___A spur of the moment decision was made when we asked her to move in with us. Ranger told her that he'd get a housekeeper and cook if she'd agree. She refused saying that she'd like to try to take care of herself a little while longer. Like Ranger and me, she was very independent._

___She spent many quiet weekends with us then finally moved in permanently near the end of her days. A full time nurse was her constant companion when we were at work. We found her passed on in her chair on the wrap around porch one day with a smile across her face, a hand made quilt on her lap._

___We had soon discovered, after a short visit that that __Abuela_ and Grandma were two peas in a pod. They got along famously so Grandma Mazur moved in too until her time came, as well.

___Alonzo, with whom we'd sailed, asked us to spend some time with him on his new personal yacht, a used thirty nine foot Island Packet cutter rig that slept four. He'd also invited his new girlfriend Beth._

___Beth was a much older woman, recently divorced with sons not much younger than Alonzo. She was well put together, thin and tanned to the max, her bleached blond hair fried to a frazzle. They appeared to be very much in love or lust depending on your perspective. Regardless, Beth was a great cook and an amazing sailor fully capable of handling a sailboat on her own. Alonzo called out nautical terms I had yet to understand as she completed her tasks masterfully. They made a great pair._

___One very warm evening as the cicadas sang their song, we decided to take a swim in the hotel pool. I was pulling out my turquoise and black bikini when Ranger handed me a small package wrapped in tissue paper, like a gift._

___"What's this?" I asked stupidly._

___He just smiled._

___"You didn't."_

___Apparently I wasn't the only one to keep souvenirs._

___Ranger handed me the tan see-through bikini I'd thrown in the trash several times. The one that showed my headlights to be on either high or low beam. Shit._

___Skinny dipping was a moot point if I had to wear that damned bathing suit. Skinny dip we did. The hotel had a sign posted, probably as a result of our last visit there._

_____Skinny dip at your own risk after 11pm and before 3am. Leave the spot light turned off. There are children in the building._

___There was no street fair at that time of the year, but we took Julie to a new arcade on the beach. Ranger won a stuffed animal for her at the shooting gallery and we took a family photo in the photo booth. As luck would have it, Ranger found a heart shaped locket similar to mine at one of the many concession stands. The young girl behind the counter carefully cut one of the photos and set it inside._

___Rachel and Ron and their children joined us for dinner at a seafood restaurant on the boardwalk that night then took Julie home._

___We spent the rest of the evening taking long walks up and down the beach along the ebbing tide. We made love in the sand at the same place we had so many years before. There were no new scratch scars as we still had the old ones to remember that event._

___The Mercedes mileage meter got a good workout as we drove around the area so I could familiarize myself with the neighborhood that was soon to become our new home. We checked out shopping centers and grocery stores and of course, the malls._

___As we drove past the Miami court house – police station – jail – and – city hall complex, I remembered back to our wedding. Some would argue that it wasn't a real wedding because there was no fanfare but I disagree._

___Ranger pulled into the parking lot._

___"What do you think, Babe? Should we try to renew our vows?"_

___"Can we do that?"_

___He opened the car door._

___"Can't hurt to ask."_

___We entered the building and sought out room number 202. Mrs. Sanchez was still sitting in the same chair as she had when we were there the last time. Her hair had grayed a little more and she'd lost a little weight but her smile was the same._

___I was surprised to hear that she remembered us. When we told her what we wanted she squeaked with excitement and called in the troops. A jolly Mrs. Oliver arrived even more plump that she had been and Mr. Renaldo was still holding his floor mop. Again they agreed to serve as our witnesses._

___At some point in my life I'd have to make a decision. Which wedding was my favorite; the original or the renewal of our vows?_

___As much as we hated to leave, after we'd spent the afternoon with the contractors making final plans for the beach house, we began packing to go back to Trenton. We had to tell our family and friends that we would be moving as soon as the Batcave was complete._

___I was stuffing my bag with that damned see through bathing suit when Ranger reached around me and whispered in my ear._

___"There's one more thing that we have to do before we leave here tomorrow morning."_

___"What's that?" I said as I turned in his arms then laced my fingers together behind his neck._

___He tilted his head toward the balcony._

___With a deep and husky voice he said, "We never made love on the balcony."_

___I couldn't help but smile._

___The sun had set and the moon was just about to shine its quarter smile. It was after eleven so the flood lights below us were absent. It was actually pretty dark out._

___I undressed quickly and beat him to the heavy privacy curtains covering the sliding glass doors. I peeked out cautiously in case we had a voyeur but Ranger unlocked then slid the door to the side and pushed me out. We were both butt naked and horny as hell. We made love on the balcony throughout the night and into the wee morning hours._

___CH – Epilogue_

___As I sat on the porch of the seaside home I'd nicknamed the Batcave, the beautiful beach front home that my husband and I have enjoyed and called home for over forty years, I couldn't help but reminisce. Oceans of water had poured over the dam since Ranger and I finally got our heads out of our butts and made our relationship legal. We've been to hell and back over the years but we always seemed to do it together._

___His blindness and paralysis was a terrifying time and my series of miscarriages were devastating to both us. Especially the loss of our little Edna Rose. But what almost destroyed us was the near divorce for which I continue take all of the blame. I should have trusted my husband and believed in him from day one. Our separation, though short lived, was still a sore spot for me but we agreed to never discuss it again. He'd forgiven me, but I have yet to forgive myself. We all have ghosts in our closets._

___"Hey Babe. What are you doing?"_

___My handsome gray haired husband said as he exited through the screen door onto the covered porch overlooking the Atlantic Ocean._

___"I'm writing my memoirs."_

___I'd been chewing on the head of my pen between thoughts._

___"Really? Am I in it?"_

___"What do you think?"_

___"So. Tell me. Where does your little story begin?"_

___"When I was little and jumped off of the garage roof wanting to fly."_

___"Why am I not surprised? And… Tell me more."_

___"Come sit beside me." I patted the warm printed vinyl covered chaise._

___"Ah. My joints ache today." He said as he leaned down at odd angles landing with a plunk. "Okay. I'm sitting. Now how the hell am I supposed to get back up?"_

___Time had ravaged his beautifully sculpted body and filled his joints with agonizing arthritis. Every movement was painful and just as destructive though he seldom complained unless he was teasing._

___"Do like I do. Roll out of your chair."_

___I'd been spared although I had to admit that I didn't move as quickly as I had in the past._

___"Funny Steph. I don't roll."_

___"Yes you do. You roll on top of me at night when I'm trying to sleep."_

___"Really? I have yet to hear you complain Mrs. Manoso."_

___"That's because I forget what I was doing as soon as you kiss me."_

___"Still?" He questioned._

___"Still." I replied with a smile._

___"More, Babe. Tell me more about your book."_

___"Well. There's a little bit about my teen years, you know the prom and graduation, then college." He didn't ask but I knew what he was thinking. "Yes, there is mention of Dickie and Joe. I tried to keep it light but…"_

___"It's okay. It was in the past. It was your life then. I'm not offended. Go on."_

___I flipped the pages of my notes then swallowed the lump in my throat._

___"Grandma Mazur is in it."_

___My grandmother had been gone so long, I barely remembered the sound of her voice but the pain in my chest was like she'd left me yesterday. I couldn't help but glance at the beach where she'd had her first heart attack. One of many to follow that eventually took her from us._

___"You should dedicate your book to her."_

___"I thought about it. You think I should?"_

___"Of course. Why not? She meant a lot to you like __Abuela_ meant a lot to me."

___"Maybe I could dedicate it to both of them."_

___"No. No. This is your book."_

___"But…"_

___"She wouldn't be offended. She'd understand. What else are you writing about?" He tried to take the notebook from my hand._

___"Hey."_

___"Can't blame a man for trying." He pretended to pout and crossed his arms over his chest._

___I flipped another page._

___"Oh, I wrote about our sailing trips in Miami with Alonzo and his step-sons. Our wedding. Our trips to Europe. Rangemen and the guys. Oh and Julie, of course."_

___"Our wedding? Babe. We eloped at the city hall."_

___"Ranger how can you say that? It was beautiful, heartfelt. I still remember every second of it. Even when we renewed our vows."_

___"Really?"_

___"Of course. Don't you?"_

___"Yeah, Babe. I do." He blew me a kiss. "I loved you then and I still love you now only more."_

___"Ditto Batman."_

___After a few minutes he asked._

___"Did you write about your bounty hunting skills and how hard you trained and how good you became at it?"_

___"Some. I wrote about rolling in garbage in the beginning."_

___"Babe, that was just a small part. You were so much more."_

___"Yeah and my mother hated it."_

___"Your poor mother didn't like much."_

___I read several passages from my notes. Some painful, some funny. My friends were all mentioned: Les, Vince, Hal and Hector, and the rest. Connie, Mary Lou, and especially Lula._

___I miss her terribly. Cancer had taken her less than a year ago. She suffered horribly but never complained. She was too sick to travel to come to stay with us so we hired a private medical shuttle. The company was owned by the son of a friend of Tank's. Tank was here with her when she left us. I'd never seen him cry in all of the years I'd known him, but he cried like a baby that day._

___My parents are gone as are Ranger's and several of his siblings. We are of an age now when friends and family members are beginning to dwindle. I hate to hear the phone ring._

___I turned to a happier page. Sally Sweet had finally made a name for himself and his band had been compared to __The Black Eye Peas_ according to the_ Rolling Stone _magazine that is still in publication to this day. He hired Mooner as a roadie. The job suited him well.

___"Any regrets?" Ranger finally asked._

___"Some. You?"_

___"Not a one. Everything happens for a reason. Even the div….."_

___"No. We promised." I warned and waggled my finger at him._

___"Okay. Even the D word made us closer. It's what finally brought us here to Miami to live."_

___"It was an awful time for both of us." My eyes began to water. "I don't want to talk about that any more."_

___"Me neither. Can I hold your hand?" He reached for my penned hand._

___"Ranger I can't hold your hand and write."_

___"Well then, stop writing. What's more important? Me or …" I glared. "Hey don't look at me like that."_

___"Like what?" I peeked at him suspiciously over the top of my eye glasses._

___"Like that. Don't roll your eyes at me."_

___"Sweetheart. My Angel. My naïve __amor_. You haven't been able to stop me from rolling my eyes at you in over forty years. What makes you think you can do it now?"

___"You know me. I'm tenacious. An opportunist. I keep trying."_

___"Give it up Batman."_

___"Give me that hand." He said then yanked it dropping my pen between the slats on the porch floor letting it fall to into the beach sand below. Satisfied, he said, "Have I ever told you how much I love hearing you call me Batman? Even to this day, it warms my heart." He brought my hand to his lips and began placing those warm kisses I couldn't resist._

___"It's heartburn." I teased._

___"Hah! Hah! Hah! You make me laugh, Babe."_

___"I'm still listed as a line item in your damned budget under entertainment."_

___"Are you ever going to let that rest?"_

___"Never."_

___"What's for dinner? It smells good." He pushed his head back into the stuffed pillow behind him as he closed his eyes taking it the warm salty air._

___"Couscous, zaalook, hummus, falafel and lamb with tahini sauce."_

___"Mmm. Sounds terrific. You've outdone yourself. Give me a kiss." I leaned over as he met me half way._

___"Mmm. Delicious." I purred._

___"So what's the occasion? Do you mind if I have a cigar?"_

___He tilted the long beige plastic tube he'd taken from his shirt pocket then held the cigar for my view._

___"Of course not. We're outside."_

___"So…? What's the occasion?" Again he leaned back after he'd set fire to the tip of the gift from Mario Santos. Lester and Connie's grandson._

___"I was hoping to take advantage of you later on this evening."_

___"Babe. You don't need to feed me with special food for that to happen."_

___"I know that."_

___Smoke encircled his head like a wreath before he spoke again._

___"Let the meds kick in so I can move and I'll take you to the moon."_

___"You're such a romantic." I shook my head as I chuckled._

___"Hey I'm realistic. I can't jump your bones if I can't move."_

___"Well, I don't need drugs to take you."_

___"Babe, they're not drugs. They're anti-inflammatories."_

___"Tell you what." I put down my pad of paper and stood between our white wicker chairs then reached out to the man with the smelly cigar. "Let me get you started. By the time your meds kick in. It'll be your turn. How's that?"_

___Embers died out in the glass ashtray as he took my wrists to pull himself up._

___"I'm game if you are."_

___"Have you thought of a title yet?" He asked as we passed through the screen door, then let it snap shut._

___"Yup."_

___He began to sniff at my hair._

___"What are you doing?"_

___"Your hair. It smells nice. What is it?"_

___"Tangerine Ranger. It's always been tangerine."_

___"It drives me crazy." He tickled me._

___"I know it does. That's why I've used nothing else for all of these years."_

___"Mmm." He hummed then smiled._

___"Come on."_

___"So… Don't keep me in the dark. I'm too old for that. What's the title?"_

___"__For Better or Worse. Batman and Babe_. You like?"

___"I like."_

___We walked slowly toward our bedroom, arm in arm stealing the occasional kiss then we made love as we always had with passion, desire and need. We'd married for better or worse some years back. We'd dealt with the worst – together – always making what was better, the best._


End file.
